Ray of Hope Orphanage
by Eoko
Summary: I'll put AU so no one can get snarky. A story about the "Orphanage Gang" in the orphanage. I do make up stuff that has no real explaination in the game, or half, or mixed up. Otherwise I try to go by the game as much as I can.
1. Translation Page

Chibi to English Dictionary.  In Order of Appearance

**Fiws **- First

**Dis** - This

**Goo'** - Good

**Owajaz **- Oranges

**Tank yoo berry mush **- Thank you very much

**Nummy** - Yummy

**Missew Sodew Man **- Mister Soldier Man

**… now dat I no have to nag yoor lasy fwed **- Now that I don't have to nag your lazy friend.

**No sacking ooff **- No slacking off

**Widdle** - Little

**Whewe sood I pud dis? **- Where should I put this?

**Hewwo, pewdy giwl.  Some fowers fow yoo.  Can I hep wit yoor bag? **- Hello, pretty/perdy girl.  Some flowers for you.  Can I help with your bag?

**Siw** - Sir

**Dat **- That

**Der **- There

**Idah** - Idea

**Pandies **- Panties

**Siwwy boy, dey awe oly underpans **- Silly boy, they are only underpants

**… wook as wong… **- look as long

starting to get the idea?

**Fum** - From

**Hanle **- Handle

**Oonid** - Unit

**Twoo** - Threw/through

**Woodn't** - Wouldn't

**Gess**- Guess

**Toush **- Touch

**God id **- Got it

**Pig** - Pick

K and CK = G  
T and TH= D

CH = SH


	2. Little Cowboy

Eoko: Don't own FF8 or the characters.  Don't sue, I have nothing.  I don't even have a job so I won't even be getting anything. 

I was fixing up the little beds in the children-to-be's room when Cid came in the door.  An orphanage was the perfect thing for the two of us to start.  We both had so much love to give, and since we were unable to have any children of our own, the best possible outcome was this place.

The Sorceress War had left this little place untouched.  There were no other cities or towns on the Centra continent, the only purpose for this place was the lighthouse, to ward off ships coming too close to the rocks.  It felt calm and serene; a sandy beach with the warm ocean next to it, rocky hills for countless adventures, a field of never ending flowers ready to be made into tiaras and necklaces.  Yes, this was the perfect place to raise children whose parents were lost in the war.

"Edea," Cid called as he looked around the house.

"In here," I replied, making sure everything was just right.  We had only moved in a short time ago, and all our time had been spent making preparations for children.  It was only a week ago that Cid had started advertising our services.  "How is Garden doing?" I asked when I heard him enter the doorway to the room.

"Wonderfully, my dear.  More children and youths come to us each day, and five passed today's SeeD exam," Cid said, his voice losing its enthusiasm along the way. 

SeeDs... elite mercenary forces... trained in one of the three Gardens... ultimate goal to destroy the sorceress.  Adel... she was gaining power just as quickly as our SeeDs were.  But they were stronger than the mere soldiers they would have become in this time of crisis, if it weren't for the Gardens.

"What brings you home so early, honey?  I expected you back on Friday."  I straightened up from fixing the little bed and turned to him, smiling softly.

"Well I simply had to be the one to personally escort our first child to his new home," Cid said grinning.

My eyes light up.  I took a quick scan around the room to make sure everything was just right, although, I didn't really think a little boy would care if "everything was just right", but I certainly did.  "Where is he?"

Cid turned his head to the side, leaning back from the doorway and calling to the boy.  "Irvine, come on over and meet your Matron, Edea."

A little boy with auburn hair, big violet-blue eyes and a small white toy gun clutched to his chest slowly came into the frame of the door.  He turned to face me, blinking a couple times before lifting his little gun.  "Bang," he said, serious as a little boy could be.

Cid began to laugh, I followed suit, and soon Irvine was laughing too.

"Irvine," I said softly, walking up to him and kneeling down to near his height.  "You're the first one here.  Which means," I smiled, "you get first pick."  I swept my hand behind me toward the beds.

Irvine leaned to one side, looking around me at the half dozen little beds. "Fiws pick?"  I had a feeling he wasn't really asking as he shuffled a couple steps over and went to inspect them.

He popped up onto his tiptoes, looking over the tops of the beds until he found the one he liked.  "Dis one," he said pointing to the one with beige comforter and purple sleeved pillows.  He climbed on top to make sure he had made the perfect choice.  "Yesh, dis one."

"Then that one shall be yours," I smiled at him.  He was so small and seemed so happy despite what tragedy must have brought him to Cid and me.

Cid came to stand next to me, his arm going loosely around my waist.  "His papers and reports are on the kitchen table," he said softly.  "You can look through them tonight."

I nodded slightly, still watching Irvine investigate his bed. "Are you going back to Garden?"

"Yes.  I have a lot of work to do still.  I'm sure you and Irvine will bond immensely by the time I get back."

"I think we will too."  I stepped over to the little bed and sat on the edge.  "Irvine, Cid has to go.  Say good bye, for now."

Irvine looked over toward Cid and lifted his hand, not holding the gun, to wave.  "Goo' bye," he said.  "See yoo soon!"

Cid smiled at the two of us.  "Yep.  I'll be back Friday."  He lifted his hand as he turned and headed out of the bedroom.  I heard the front door open and shut a few moments later, signifying his departure.

"Well," I clapped my hands on my thighs.  "Irvine, are you hungry?  Would you like a snack?"

"Yesh, pwease," he said scrambling to his feet. 

I stood and turned, picking him up and setting him down on the floor.  "Let us go into the kitchen and see what we can find."  I took a few steps and looked over my shoulder to see if Irvine was following.

"Otay."  He wobbled his way with me into the kitchen.

I made my way over to the fridge, opening the door and crouching down to look in the crispers.  I shifted and turned at the sound of determined grunting.  Irvine was attempting, with all his might, to hoist himself onto a chair at the table.

I hurried over to him, taking him around his squirming waist and lifted just a little, so it would seem to him he did most of the work himself.  He settled himself comfortably with his gun in his lap.

"Do yoo have owajaz?" Irvine asked as he looked toward the open fridge.

"Oh yes."  I went back to the open refrigerator and took an orange out, placed it on the counter and got a knife out of a drawer.

"Caweful," Irvine's little voice piped up.

"I will, Irvine.  Thank you for your concern."

"… Otay."

I placed the orange slices on a plate and brought it over to Irvine.  "There you go."

"Tank yoo berry mush," he said before taking a piece and sucking on the wedge.  "Nummy."

After the snack I gave Irvine a tour of the orphanage.  I showed him about the house, then down to the beach.  He ran to the water's edge and when it lapped towards his feet he squeaked and run back to me.

I told him where he could go and where he could not.  Not down to the beach unless he was supervised, and not too far into the flower field that we passed through on the way back to the house.

By the time we had finished the sun was setting and Irvine was yawning from all the walking.  I took him to a dresser in the bedroom where he chose purple pajamas, with feet.  I helped him change and tucked him into the bed he had chosen, sitting down beside him and pulling out a book to read to him.

When he fell asleep I closed the book and put it away.  I headed into the kitchen to make a small dinner for myself and something incase Irvine woke up later on.  I put the kettle on for tea before sitting down at the table and looking through Irvine's reports.

There wasn't much information:  
            _Name: Irvine_

_Mother and father found dead.  Expected they were killed by Estharii soldiers upon attempted escape from Esthar.  Found by Galbadian Lieutenant and Captian and a Trabian SeeD._

"So, he's Estharii," I mused to myself as I turned the kettle off just before the steam whistled.  I poured a cup and sipped contently.


	3. Baby Genius

Eoko: Don't own FF8 or the characters.  Don't sue, I have nothing.  I don't even have a job so I won't even be getting anything. 

It was two days later that two Galbadian soldiers brought the second child to the orphanage.  Blonde hair in pigtails, blue eyed and wearing the dearest pastel pink sundress.

"Goo' mowning Ma'am.  I am Quisis," the little girl stated rather matter-of-factly.

The more annoyed of the two soldiers handed me a folder.  "Quistis Trepe… nagged us the whole way here she did.  Worse than my own wife I tells ya."

The second soldier gave him a 'I've heard enough from you' look before looking to me.  "I knew both her mother and father.  Good people.  A shame they had to leave us.  Quisty's a strong little girl.  I'm sure she won't be a problem."

"Tank yoo Missew Sodew Man," Quistis said looking up at the soldier behind her.  "I will be berry goo', now dat I no have to nag yoor lasy fwed."

The first soldier's eyes narrowed as the second laughed.  The two soldiers left, leaving Quistis waving happily as she called, "No sacking ooff!" I laughed quietly and touched her lightly on the shoulder.

"Matwyn.  I will be a berry goo' widdle girl.  I have a bag wit some tings," Quistis said pointing to the red leather suitcase.  "I wike da colows wed and pink, and I wuv cawwots."

I blinked once in subtle shock.  Informative little girl… wasn't she?  "That's very good to know, Quistis, thank you." 

"Yoo awe wecome," she said as she took hold of her suitcase by its handle and began to drag it into the house.  "Whewe sood I pud dis?"

"Oh, dear, let me take that for you," I said as I hurried over to her.

"Nope," she shook her head, pig-tail's whipping her face gently.  "I can do id.  Jus tell be whewe ta go."

"Well." I walked forward to where the door way to the bedroom was and gestured with my hand inside.  "The bedroom is here.  You can put your suitcase in there, and pick a bed."

Just then Irvine came scrambling in with a fist full of flowers.  He smiled up at me and then noticed the new girl.  "Oh!"  He quickly split his bundle of flowers, giving the majority to me before scooting over to Quistis and holding out the others.  "Hewwo, pewdy giwl.  Some fowers fow yoo.  Can I hep wit yoor bag?"

"Tank yoo, siw," Quistis said stopping her determined suitcase pulling to curtsey and take the flowers.  "Yoo awe berry nice."

"Yep," Irvine stated as he took a hold of the suitcase and continued dragging it into the bedroom. 

While he was heaving away, Quistis and I went to put our little bouquet's in glasses of water and set them on the table.  When we went into the bedroom to check on Irvine, we found him huffing gently, sitting on top of the suitcase. 

"Tank yoo," Quistis smiled.  "Oooo, wots of beds."

"Dat one's mine!" Irvine said proudly.

"Otay… hmm, der's a pink one… I wike pink… but I have wots of pink cwothes… and der is a wed one!  Ooooo!"  Quisits hopped up and down.  "Can I have dat one, Matwyn?" She looked up at me with practiced puppy-dog eyes.

"Of course you can Quistis, dear." I set her suitcase atop the bed and helped her and Irvine clamber up after it.  "Shall we sort your things?"

"Dat would be a goo' idah."

I unclasped the suitcase buckles and opened it up for Quistis and Irvine to sort.

Irvine squealed.  "Pandies!!!" He turned immediately and dove, face first, into the blankets.

I covered my mouth with a hand to muffle the giggles.  Irvine looked so funny with his face pressed into the covers and his butt high in the air.

"Siwwy boy, dey awe oly underpans," Quistis giggled a little.  "You can wook as wong as dey awe not on a widdle giwl's butt."

I coughed and stifled a second bout of laughter.  Oh, the bluntness of young ones was so refreshing.

Irvine lifted his head from the bed and turned to look at Quistis.  "I won't get in twouble?"

"Not fum me."  The two looked up at me, and I gave a little shake of my head, to mean he would not get in trouble for helping Quistis unpack.  After that the two merrily pulled out the clothes: two more sundresses, one "special occasions" dress, three pairs of shorts, five shirts, two pairs of pants, a rainbow of little socks, and the aforementioned "pandies".  Tucked away in the very bottom were a little pair of runners and what Quistis stated to be "poo-y soos", which I would have described as ones to be worn to parties.

I showed Quistis the bedside cabinet, with it's three shelves for her clothes.  While I went to put her shoes in the closet, her and Irvine began putting the clothes away.  When I came back, I discovered they had arranged the drawers as such: shorts and pants in the bottom, shirts and dresses in the middle, and undies and socks in the top most.  Informative and organized little girl…

"Matwyn," she said holding up the fancy dress.  "Dis one has to hag up so it no winkle."

"Very right you are," I said, taking the dress and patting her on the head lightly.  I hung it up in one of the two closets in the bedroom, the one under the "Girl's" sign before coming back to them.


	4. Troublemaker

That Friday Cid came back home, leaving the Garden in the capable hands of our good friend Aki Juroda. He met Quistis and caught up with Irvine. That Sunday we had a picnic lunch in the flower field. Quistis had made a necklace by stringing the stem of one flower through a slit made, near the flower, in the stem of another.

The two children were sipping their juice, Cid telling a story about a little Moomba cub, when a call boomed from the front of the house. I got to my feet, excused myself from the picnic blanket and walked around to the front.

"Hello there," I called, waving and approaching the two women and man from their right.

"Edea Kramer?" one asked, checking a notepad in her hand. "Matron at Ray of Hope Orphanage?"

I nodded. "Yes." I came to stand in front of the small group. "Can I help you?"

"We have a child to place under your care."

"Oh," I leaned a little to each side, trying to locate the child in question. "You have?"

The man stepped forward and tugged on the woman's sleeve, leaning in to whisper quietly.

She sighed irritably and swung her leg back into the man's shin. "INCOMPETENT!"

He limped back into his position behind the two women. "Have you… misplaced the child?" I asked, worried, but not showing it.

The second woman stepped toward me and held out a folder. "Almasy, Seifer. Four year old boy. We will begin our search for him immediately." With that the three soldiers dispersed in three separate directions, in attempts to locate this Seifer.

I followed the black haired female into the flower field. She looked over her shoulder at me as I turned toward the picnic. When my eyes fell to the blanket I noticed a new figure sitting with Cid and the other children. "Is that him?" I asked, pointing over to the blonde boy.

The woman sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Seifer…" She tilted her head up in the direction the other two had gone. "He's over here guys!" The other soldiers came running.

"Kejin!" Seifer jumped up and came over to the black haired woman. "Dis place it otay. I tink I can hanle living hewe fow a bit."

"That's good, cause you don't have a choice," the woman, Kejin, stated. She turned to face me again. "He has two (balls- oh gods I actually typed that) suitcases. We left them next to the front door. All the information on him is in that folder."

With that said and done, the three soldiers said goodbye to Seifer and left the orphanage.

"Hi, I'm Seifew," he said lifting his hand high in the air to shake mine.

I extended my hand down to him and shook gently. "Nice to meet you Seifer. I take it you've already met the other two children?"

"Yep. Quisy is my age, and Iwvy is a wittle baby still. He's only twee. Can we go bak to the pinic?" He said putting his hands in his pockets and swinging his hips around a little.

"Yes, certainly. You can have some lunch with us, and then we can go inside to sort out your things." We headed back to the blanket and sat back in our places. "Cid, the soldiers left two suitcases of Seifer's things at the door. Could you take those into the bedroom? And put this with Quistis' folder?" I handed him Seifer's information.

"Certainly." Cid got up from the picnic and went into the house to sort everything out.

"Heh, I know yoo," Quistis said pointing to Seifer. "My daddy and yoor daddy wewe sodews in da same oonid. Yoo wewe at dat pahtay my mommy twoo da sodews."

"I dun member yoo ad da pahtay," Seifer said nibbling on a carrot stick.

"Yoo wewe doo bizy deasing Nona," Quistis stated.

"Da widdle giwl wit da bwack haiw and da boo dwess?"

"Uh-huh! See is da widdle giwl of Genewal Cawaway. Yoo made hew cwy." Quistis shook a finger in Seifer's face.

"She woodn't weave me awone!" Seifer yelled, crossing his arms over his chest. "I din't wanna pay wit hew bud see woodn't go 'way."

"Dat is no weason ta mack hew cwy," Quistis popped a baby tomato in her mouth.

"See soodn't mess wit me," Seifer glared at Quistis as he spoke.

"Bang!" Came Irvine's little voice in a high pitched squeak. His little gun was held level to Seifer's head.

I laughed, but caught myself quickly. "Don't shoot Seifer, dear," I said, placing my hand on top of his gun and lowering it back to his lap.

Seifer turned to look at Irvine. "Da baby ca't soot me even if he twied."

"I am nod a baby!" Irvine said loudly.

"Yesh you awe. Yoo awe a widdle baby."

"No, I nod! Matwyn!!!" He leapt into my lap and clung to my blouse.

"Seifer," I said softly, but sternly. "It is not nice to call Irvine names. Uh-uh," I stopped him before he objected. "Irvine in not a baby. He _and_ you are both toddlers." Seifer crossed his arms and made a face.

"Puss, I is big fow my age..." Irvine commented.

"So is I!" Seifer retorted. Oh my, this was getting amusing.

"I am finissed, Matwyn. Can we go see wat bed Seifew pickes?" Quistis asked, getting up and brushing some crumbs off her pastel yellow dress.

"We can, if the boys are finished eating too."

"I done," Irvine said, sneaking one more grape.

"Me doo," Seifer said, sneaking two.

I snorted under my breath and lifted Irvine out of my lap before standing. "Alright now. Let's all take one plate of food in each. That way we won't have any Bite Bugs swarming about."

Quistis picked up the plate of remaining baby tomatoes, Seifer took the grapes, and Irvine took the carrots. I picked up the container of juice and the apple slices, then turned to lead the children into the house.

Cid came out of the bedroom, saying he would fetch the rest of the picnic things while we sorted out which bed Seifer wanted. We put the things we had brought in away, and heading into the other room; Irvine and Quistis at an excited trot, Seifer walking at my side.

Irvine and Quistis had already managed to climb on top of their beds, indicating which were theirs. Seifer looked over the four remaining beds: navy, pink, yellow and green. Seifer proceeded over to the navy bed, picking up the two pillows and moving to the yellow bed. He set the baby blue pillows down and took the fern green ones off that bed. Then he went over to the green bed, with those pillows, and put them on said bed. He finished by taking the grey pillows and placing them on the navy blue bed.

"Dis one," Seifer stated pointing to the navy bed with, now, grey pillows.

I laughed loudly at this, nodding my head to mean he could certainly have that bed. I made my way over to the yellow bed, to fix its new baby blue pillows, and over to the green to fix its new fern ones.

Next I went to get his two little suitcases and placed them on top of his bed.

"Can we hep u'pack?" Irvine asked, having had fun helping Quistis with her things.

Seifer looked at the two others for a few moments. "Yoo wanna hep?"

"Yah, suwe. Yoo got wots of tings. If we all pud da tings 'way, we can go oud an pay!" Irvine said bouncing on this bed once before sliding off.

"Well... I gess. But if I say don' toush someting, den don', god id?"

"Suwe," Irvine said climbing onto Seifer's bed.

"Otay." Quistis did the same.

Seifer was unclasping one of the buckles as Irvine was trying to do the same to the ones on the second suitcase. After much struggle and displeased sounds he finally held his gun toward the buckle and, "Bang!" he shouted. Of course this did nothing to open the suitcase, so I intervened before more "shooting" took place.

The first thing to become visible was a decent sized, bright yellow chocobo stuffy. Irvine and Quistis immediately "ooooed" over it, which caused Seifer to grab it up into his arms protectively.

"No toushy!" he cried, clinging to the stuffy tight. "Is mine. You can' toush id!"

Quistis made a long, keening "awwwwwww" as Irvine stuck out his bottom lip in a very adorable pout, but neither was enough to make Seifer loosen his grip on his toy.

"No no no," he shook his head fiercely. "Is my Boco!"

"Awwwww," Quistis's voice came even louder than before. "Come on Seifew, we jus wanna hold id fow a widdle. Pwease?"

"No," Seifer replied quickly. "Is mine. Ged yoor own toy!"

At this Quistis joined Irvine in their pouting and turned their eyes toward me. Of course I have a great many toys, stuffed animals and games set away for my children, the need to bring them out just hasn't arisen... until now.

"Children," I said, smile on my face. "Do not fret. After you are finished helping Seifer with his things, you may chose a toy from the chests, and call it your very own."

Their faces brightened noticeably and they turn back to Seifer who had shifted up the bed and was in the middle of "hiding" Boco under his pillows.

"Is otay, Seifew. We won' twy do dake yoor Boco," Quistis informed already taking things out of Seifer's suitcases and arranging them for what drawers they would go in.

Seifer had a number of shorts, t-shirts, plants, sweaters, a long blue coat, two pairs of runners, one pair of sandals, yellow rain boots, a cap, a yellow rain hat and jacket, and, most adorable of all, a greyish-green shorts suit. I had the sneaking suspicion, from the look in Seifer's eyes when Irvine pulled it out, that he very much disliked it.

Quistis slipped off onto the floor and was putting shorts and pants in the bottom drawer of the bedside dresser while Irvine was leaning over on top of the bed to put away socks and underwear. Seifer and I took his shoes, boots and rain gear into the front closet and came back to hang his suit in the "Boy's" closet.

"All done!" Quistis called as I was turning back from the closet. "Dat's evewyting." She suddenly looked a little sheepish.

"Can Quisy and I pig a toy now?" Irvine asked, blinking his huge violet-blues at me.

I chuckled softly and led the children over to the two chests of toys. Seifer hung back, but when I said he could have something too, as Irvine had a gun already, he came forward to look.

"Wut is dis?" Quistis asked holding up an electronic device.

"Oh honey, that's an educational game. It teaches memory and addition and geometry. You're much too young for that sort of game-"

"Awe yoo saying I is too widdle do have dis toy?" Quistis cut me off.

"Well dear, I just don't want you disappointed if you don't understand it."

She gave me a rather stern look and brought the electronic toy closer to her. "I wanna have dis one, _pwease_." She put a very obvious stress on the word please, which meant she was telling rather than asking.

Irvine and Seifer were both leaning over the toy chests. Irvine was the first to straighten up. He held out a little leather belt with a gun holster to the side. I glance over him and noticed the discarded gun it originally can with. He put _his_ gun into the holster, and was very happy when it fit nearly perfectly.

"Pwease, pwease, pwease," he bounced, holding it up to me so I would put it on him. I did so and watched as he jumped up, landed and grabbed at his gun as if to "draw". Unfortunately he fumbled and his gun fell to the floor, which he retrieved and headed into the kitchen to practice in private.

I chuckled softly at Irvine before noticing Seifer looking at me. "I is fine wit Boco. I dun need anodder toy, tank yoo."

I smiled at him and he gave a little smile back. "If that's what you want. Boco is a very nice stuffy. Have you had him for long?"

"Si's I was a baby. I dun eben member gedding him. He was jus' al'ays dere," Seifer said going back to his bed to get Boco and hugged him tight. "He's da oly fend I have weft." Seifer looked down at the floor.

I looked at him sadly and walked over to him, sitting on the edge of his bed and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry, Seifer. You'll make lots of friends here."

Seifer looked up at me and gave me a little smile as his green-blue eyes shone slightly. The poor little dear.


	5. CryBabyZell

The children where in bed.  I had read a cowboy story to them this evening, as it had been Irvine's turn to pick.  The boy was obsessed, I swear it.  I finally had some time to read over Quistis and Seifer's documents.

Quistis Trepe was the daughter of a soldier, her father, killed during the war, and a loyal house wife, killed in an attack on Deling City.  She had excelled in her Pre-school education and, in handwriting it commented that she had the makings of her mother's attitude... I think that was meant to be a warning.  Her birth certificate declared her date of birth to be October 4th, her eyes blue, hair blonde, sex female.  Everything was standard.

Seifer Almasy was the son of two soldiers.  Such a coupling during this time would have almost secured Seifer's fate as an orphan, yet no plans, that I was aware of, had been made to do with his future should such a thing occur, as it had.  He too had a birth certificate: December 22nd, blonde, blue eyes- I suppose they don't put detailed variations in the reports, because the greenish tinge to them was definitely there- male.  Everything was as standard as could be expected from Deling.

Irvine still posed quite a mystery to me.  I should talk to him, see if he knows what day his birthday was.  I could easily write my own information on eye color and what sex he was.  It didn't take a genius to do that.

I was putting these files away when I heard what I first thought to be a knock at the door, but it was late and windy and I let it slide as nature's ruckus.  But as I was heading to bed the sound came again, louder, sharper.

Quickly I moved to the door, wondering but not worrying about who would be on the continent of Centra at this late hour.  When I opened it I came face to face with a young woman with veiled brown hair and white robes.  In her arms was a child, so small I would assume it to be only two years of age, at the most.

The woman's eyes sparked with worry.  "Edea?" she asked, distressed.

I nodded to the women, my eyes remaining on the child.  It didn't take much to decipher the reason why the woman was here.

She held the little one, wrapped in a little cloak, bundled around the body, to me.  I held the child close, a questioning look in my eye.

"His name... is Zell.  He's three..." she looked sadly to the boy.

"Are you his mo-" I questioned softly but was cut off.

"No," she replied.  "Not his mother, but... his caretaker.  He's never known his true mother.  Keep it that way, Edea."  And without any further word or thought she turned and disappeared into the night.

I closed the door and lifted the boy into my arms more securely.  '_Three?_' I thought to myself.  '_But, he's so small..._'  He made a soft noise in his sleep and shifted a bit.  Ah, the magic of Sleep had been cast on him.  He'd sleep soundly until morning.  Not wanting to cause a commotion in the children's room I slipped into mine and lay Zell on the side of the large mattress.

When I returned from preparing for bed he had curled onto his side, this thumb held between his lips and he sucked on it gently.  He was the third little blonde to grace my doorstep, and if the trends continued, he too would have some shade of blue eyes.

I woke the next morning to the sound of a high pitched yawn and the slight shifting from a stretching body.  My eyes slipped open to see little Zell sitting up and looking around.  He didn't look scared, which surprised me.

I too sat up and looked down at him.  "Good morning, Zell.  My name is-"

"E'ya?" he asked blinking, what do you know, the truest of true blue eyes at me.

"Yes, Edea.  Do you know me?"

"Adisa tol me boud yoo.  See say I have to go way or e'se twouble.  See say I be safe hewe."

I stroked Zell's sunny blonde hair.  "You will be safe here, from whatever it was that would harm you."

"MAAATTTWYYYN!!!" Quistis ran in screaming her little head off.  "He did id agen!  He toog my game!"

Seifer followed in shortly after, with his arms linked behind his back and a smile set on his face which just beamed 'I didn't do anything wrong', which of course meant he had.

Zell crawled to the foot of the bed and looked over at the two other blondes.

Quistis screeched and hopped around to face the door.  "Matwyn had a baby!" she squealed and soon Irvine had joined the other two.

"I not E'ya's," Zell said blinking.  "My name Zell.  Hi."  He lifted his hand and waved a little.

Seifer gave Irvine a little nudge.  "I dake id bag... yoo an't a baby... he is."  Seifer pointed to Zell, who made a face.

Zell swiveled his behind over the edge of the bed to slide off, but on his way he lost his control and fell on his bottom.  He scrunched up his face and scrambled to his feet, standing a good seven inches under Quistis and Irvine, and about nine under Seifer.

I gawked at him a little.  Sure, I assumed him to be at least a year younger than the woman had informed me he was, but standing there, around the others, his just looked, miniscule. 

"I is nod a baby," he said walking up to Seifer and tilting his head back to peer into his face.

"Awe doo, awe doo.  Wook ad yoo.  Yoo'r soo teeny!" Seifer said poking Zell in the center of his forehead.

Zell pouted, his lower lip sticking out and quivering.

"Seifer," I warned, in a tone I was beginning to develop a little too fast for my liking.  "Don't tease the other children-" then I remembered Quistis's game- "and give Quistis back her toy."

"Bud I din't," Seifer said giving a little pout at rocking at the hips.

"Seifer..." I looked at him sternly.  "Go get it and give it back to her."

Seifer stalked out of the room and returned several minutes later with the electronic toy, which Quistis took and pressed a number of buttons before holding it towards Seifer so he could hear the machine's voice read out "mee-nee".

Seifer's eyes narrowed at the machine and all I could do was cover my mouth with a hand to suppress the laughter.  "Quistis, dear, don't call him names, even if he is one."

Seifer's eyes widened a little as he looked at me.  I don't think he expected me to agree with the machine.  All eyes turned to Zell as he giggled.  Irvine was poking him repeatedly over his stomach and ribs.

"He's tikwish!" Irvine chirped and wiggled his fingers vigorously as Zell squirmed and giggled more.

"Irvy!"  Quistis grabbed a hold of his arm and tried to drag him off.  "Yoo'll mahk him pee his pans!"

Seifer's eyes lit up, and he was quickly on the other side of Zell, tickling him mercilessly.  "He dun have pans, Quissy!"

Zell's legs gave way, causing him to fall to the floor where he flailed and kicked out his chubby little legs as the many fingers tickled and tickled at him.  "Top!  Top!  Pwease! Ahehehe!"  He rolled back and forth.

Quistis stomped her foot a number of times.  "Top id!  Top id!  Yoo tupid boys!"

As this was occurring I slipped out of bed, adjusted my nightdress and made my way over to the boys. I took Seifer and Irvine by the back of their night clothes and pulled them off and away from the gasping, giggling boy.

Zell made several little outbursts as he began to calm down.  He stood up and shook himself out a bit, giving a little tug on his parka-like cloak.  "Dun do dat... id tikwes."

"No, weawwy?" Seifer asked hinting at sarcasm as he lean forward, toward Zell.

Zell made a face at him before walking past and out of the room.

The four us exchanged glances before he followed Zell to see where he was going.  We found him in the children's bedroom, on tiptoes next to Seifer's bed, his little hand reaching up and waving around, trying to get a hold of... Boco.

"No!"  Seifer yelled and lollopped over to Zell, smacking his hand forcefully and grabbing his stuffy before running to the other side of the room with it.

Zell yelped and pulled his hand close to him, immediately bursting into a flood of tears.

"Seifer.  Don't hit!"  I scolded, making my way to Zell and rubbing his hand and arm softly.  "It's alright, Zell.  Don't cry.  He didn't mean it.  He's just protective of his toy."

"He din't know!" Quistis piped up, glaring at Seifer.  "He din't know he cou'n't toush."

"Das nod fawe, Seifew.  Yoo'r biggew den him."

"Is mine," Seifer stammer from the many looks he was getting.  "Is mine, he can' toush id..."

"Id is sush a nice tocobo..." Zell sniffed, lifting his cloak to dry his eyes and cheeks and nose.  "I jus wanned do toush da sof'... I sowwy..."  Zell's trembling oceans looked to Seifer.

Seifer relaxed a little, though it was hard to notice.  Zell was not angry at him.  Zell was sad, scared... "Is otay... yoo din't know... Jus'... nes'ime don' toush."

"O-otay..." Zell sniffed and nodded.

"Wet him pig a toy!" Irvine said excitedly, bouncing over to the chest.

"Yea, yea!"  Quistis trotted over too.

Seifer stayed back, clutching to his chocobo as the rest of us proceeded to the chest. Zell, being, I do swear, abnormally short for his age needed a little help in looking into the chest well enough to locate what he wanted.

He felt around more than looked, his face changing as his fingers touched different things.  It was with his hands that he found, deep in one of the chest, something soft and fuzzy that he wanted.  With a grunt and a pull that dislodged several other playthings, Zell collapsed back onto his bottom with a Moomba stuffy being cuddled in his lap.

"Mooba!" he squealed merrily.  "We had moobas whewe I wived.  And one wen' "Guna, Guna, Guna" all da dime." He held the Moomba stuffy high in the air- well, as high as he could reach, being seated on the floor- and smiled.  "I will caww him Guna!"

"Dat is a berry cude name!" Quistis said as she and Irvine grabbed Zell under his arms and lifted him to his feet.

"Mhmm."  Irvine nodded and patted the stuffy's head.  "Goo' name fow him, al'ight."

"Oh oh oh," Quistis looked up at me.  "Now is bed dime?"

"Bud I jus woge up!"  Zell said, pouting as if in great distress.

Seifer had wandered back to his bed, placing Boco on top and was now facing us.  "Nod dime fow bed, tupid, dime fow yoo do pig a bed."

I tapped my foot at Seifer at the word "stupid".  Troublesome one he was going to be.

"I ged do pig my oun?" Zell asked looking at the beds.

"Yes.  The others know how it works, so while you chose I'll be in the kitchen setting up breakfast."

"Wish one awe yoo gonna pig?" Quistis asked excitedly.

"Mine is the bwown one," Irvine stated puffing out his chest.

"An' myne is da wed one.  An' Seifew's is da bue one wit da gay piwwows."

"How aboud da lalow one?" Zell asked heading over to it.  "Can I have dis one?"

"Dat one does't suid yoo.  Yoo sood have dis one!"  Seifer happily took hold of Zell and dragged him to the pink bed which he promptly shoved him on top of.

A very befuddled Zell looked down at Seifer a few moments before sliding off the bed and going back to the yellow one.  Quistis and Irvine were slightly too dumbfounded to do anything but watch.

Seifer approached Zell again, taking the hand that was clutched in the yellow blanket and dragging him once more to the pink bed, lifting him up.  "Dis one."

Zell's face scrunched up as he turned and slid off the bed again, making the trip to the yellow bed and holding on with both hands.  "Dis one!"

Again Seifer advanced, taking Zell around the waist and tugging him away from the yellow cover.  Zell grunted and squirmed viciously but Seifer did not let go until he had Zell up on the pink bed once more.

"Yoo awe so teeny.  Da teenies' one hewe.  Yoo'we wike a baby.  A widdle baby giwl.  So yoo sood have da pink bed," Seifer stated in something between a 'matter-of-fact' voice and that of a teasing little brat.

Zell sat on the bed, blue eyes wide and shaking.  He bit his lip to hold back everything but he couldn't control it all.  "I is nod a baby!"  He wailed.  "I is nod a baby!  I is nod a giwl!  I is nod a _baby giwl_!" He threw his fists all about it a rage as tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Yoo awe a cwy-baby."  Seifer turned and walked away, giving a little kick to Zell's stuffy who had been dropped to the floor in all the kafuffle.

At hearing the shrieks and cries from the bedroom I left the milk on the counter and hurried to the sound.  It was Zell, clutching the blankets and crying.  His nose was running, his eyes were red and his face was completely wet.  "Oh Zell."  I hurried over to him and sat down, taking him into my lap and into my arms.  "Shhh," I soothed.  "Shhh, Zell, it's alright.... shhh, tell Matron what's wrong."

Zell calmed in my arms quickly.  His cries became whimpers, his whimpers sniffles, which soon diminished into random hiccups every so often.  Quistis and Irvine had found their way over to stand in front of us.  Irvine was holding out Zell's stuffy.  I smiled at him and nodded in thanks, taking it and putting it to the side.  "What happened Zell?" I prompted again now that he was calmer.

"Sei-hic-ew..." he sniffed a little.  "He made me pig the pink bed.  He say I is a wittle baby girl cause I is smaww, but I can'd hep dat I is widdle, and I is nod a giwl.  I is a boy, Matwyn."  He buried his face against me and I looked around to locate Seifer.

The boy in question was sitting on his bed, holding Boco up and making him "walk" zig-zag style toward him as he murmured something to the bird.

"Seifer," I called sternly but he did not look up.  "Seifer."  I stated a second time.  This time he looked around the room as if wonder where the strange sound that was my voice had come from.  "Seifer," I think that time I nearly growled.  He looked at me.  "Now," I began, regaining my calm tone.  "Is what Zell says true?"

"No, of cowse nod, Matwyn.  He jus' wikes da pink bed and does't wanna ammid id."

"Das nod-hic-twue!" Zell squealed leaning around me to glare at Seifer.  "You pud me up hewe eberry-hic-dime!"

"Seifer, you shouldn't lie.  It's wrong to lie and you will get in trouble for it.  This is your warning.  After this, no more."

"Bud I did't!" Seifer protested.

"Yes yoo did!" Quistis said, both hands firmly planted on her hips.

Irvine put on just as huffy an expression.  "Yea, we saw yoo.  Yoo dwagged him do da pink bed and made him go up!"

"Thank you, children.  Now Seifer," I turned back to the frustrated looking blonde.  "Apologize to Zell for forcing him onto this bed."

"Imsowie," Seifer said in one quick word-phrase that was absolutely impossible to understand. 

"Again, Seifer.  Slower and with actual feeling."

Seifer tossed his upper body to the side like his was tempted to have a little fit before trying his apology again.  "I am sowwy."  With that he crossed his arms and lay back on his bed pouting.

"Now, Zell," I addressed the littlest blonde again.  "You don't need to take this bed.  If you want another, just name it."

Zell was still looking at Seifer a little nervously before sitting upright in my lap once more.  "Um... dis one is fine..."

I leaned over and cupped a hand around his ear, whispering softly.  "Do you want to change the covers?  I have light blue with chocobos."

Zell's eyes light up and it seemed that he had never been upset only moments ago.  "I wood wike dat berry mush!"  He said excitedly.

"Wonderful.  I'll do that right after breakfast.  Let's go have that now, shall we?"

"Wee sall," Quistis mimic politely as she and Irvine strode into the kitchen hand in hand.

"I best get after those two lest they make a mess.  Hurry along when you're ready, Zell, Seifer."  With that I headed for the kitchen only to hear a plastic- thank goodness- bowl hit the floor.

Seifer had not moved from his pouting position.  He did not move even when Zell came up to stand beside his bed.  "Seifew, is bweaky-dime."

Seifer made a sound something like a snort, just that half-second of a sound that started a rather nasal laugh.  Zell giggled.  Seifer looked at him.

"Come on, Seifew. You'ww miss id."

"Wike yoo cawe."

"Yoo godda ead.  Eben if yoo awe a assole."

Seifer sat up faster than a jack-in-the-box.  His eyes were wide and he stared at Zell like he had two heads.  Then out of the blue he burst out laughing.  After Seifer almost coughed up a lung from laughing too hard he slid off the bed and made his way into the kitchen with Zell.

"Tocopaws!" Seifer squealed once he had entered the kitchen. 

Every one of us jumped slightly at his sudden jolt of childish energy I thought he may have been lacking in.

"Yoo wike tocopaws doo?" Zell asked enthusiastically.

"Tocopaws awe da besses!"

"Yea-huh!  Weawwy nummy!  And day awe goo' fow yoo, mayg yoo big an' tong!"

"Nod in yoow case!"  Seifer laughed and climbed up into a chair.

Zell scowled and moved over to a free one, placing his hands and arms on top and heaved up, only to get his lower half caught under the chair from his efforts.

"Oh, Zell..." I got up and lifted him up. 

"Wots uv tocopaws fow me pwease!  I godda ged biggew!"  He clapped happily as I poured him his cereal and handed him his spoon. 

Seifer leaned over in his chair, spoon in hand and dunked it into Zell's cereal, apparently too impatient for me to pour his own bowl.

Zell blinked, his eye narrowing, and then as if they had entered an unspoken agreement they both began to "inhale" the cereal.  I'm not sure exactly what they planned to accomplish since there was no way to measure who ate more.  And I couldn't let this display of ill manners continue.

"Seifer, Zell!"

They stopped and looked at me, milk covering their chins, a little on their cheeks and I don't know how, but Zell managed to get some on his forehead and a few Chocopuffs in his hair for Hyne's sake.

"Put the spoons down and lean away from the cereal," I instructed seriously, grabbing a washcloth and moving in on them.  I snagged Zell first, cleaning up his face as best I could before giving Seifer the same treatment.

Seifer and Zell exchanged looks before their eyes met mine.  "Mowe pwease!" the two blonde boys sang.

I eyed them warily before pulling both Seifer's still empty bowl and Zell's, with a bit of milk still in the bottom, toward me, filling them only half way with cereal, pouring in milk and sliding them back to the boys.  They happily ate what was put in front of them.


	6. The Strong and Silent Types

Everything went fairly well the next week and a bit.  Seifer didn't stray from his little role of "Supreme Overlord of Meanness", but he did have moments when he actually did seem friendly, maybe even chummy with the others.  But this was only when he and one of the other children were alone.  In a group he was, I hate to say it but, a pint-sized-prick.

It was on the tenth day after the morning of mess after mess that we had new arrivals to the orphanage.  A little dark brunette boy, and an older brown haired girl.  They were brought by another small group of soldiers, though this group seemed more lax and uncaring of their duties as the others had been.  They just sort of left the two children on the doorstep, a small suitcase beside each of them before booking it back to wherever they had come from.

The girl gave a little curtsey and stood straight again.  "I am Ellone, and this is Squall."

I curtsied back to the girl.  "Hello Ellone, Squall, and welcome."

Squall looked down at the ground, or his shoes, something in that vicinity, not saying anything.

"Thank you," Ellone said.  "I think we should talk a little after we're settled in if that's okay."

I nodded.  "That would be lovely.  I'll show you to the bedroom."  I took Squall's suitcase, Ellone took her own and we headed into the house. 

Unpacking didn't take long.  Ellone said she and Squall would share a bed for the time being and a cupboard.  They didn't have too much, nothing too fancy, and most looked hand made.

Ellone lifted Squall onto the bed and handed him a book that had been in his case.  I was sure he could not yet read, but it must have had many pictures in it.

"We should talk," Ellone stated and headed out of the room.  I followed her into the kitchen and offered her a seat.  After we both sat she began right off.  "He's three, birthday is on August 23rd.  He's very quite and has completely stopped talking since his mother died-"

"You're not his sister?"  I asked, interested.  They seemed far too close to be friends, even if they were very good ones. 

"Yes and no.  I was orphaned when I was two, but was then raised by our neighbor, Raine.  And a year later a man named Laguna was hurt, and Raine looked after him and we turned into a kind of little family.  Raine was like a mother to me, and Laguna like a father, but they weren't.  They were Squall's.  He's like my brother.  No different other than the fact it's not by blood."

"What about you, Ellone?"  I asked.  She was obviously older than any of the others.

"I'm seven, and my birthday is April 8th.  I don't really remember my real parents very much.  Laguna was so fun to be with, and I was so little, I forgot.  My real last name is Everglade, but when Laguna became like a father to me, and my best friend, I decided to take his name.  So, I'm Ellone Loire to anyone who asks."

I smiled at her warmly.  She was well spoken, well raised, and had that edge of determination and underlying strength.  She would be a wonderful addition around the orphanage and be a lot of help to me, I was sure.

"And Squall's last name is Loire too then?"

She shook her head at me.  "Oh no, Raine gave him her last name, Leonhart.  She came from a long line of fighters. From soldiers all the way back to old knights.  From Azriel the Lionhearted!" She said excitedly.  "Squall has her name, and I have Laguna's.  So no one will forget how much they loved each other."

"I'm sorry you lost both sets of parents," I said, reaching out to hold Ellone's hands in mine.

"Oh no, only three.  Laguna is still alive."

I blinked, quite stunned.  If he was alive why was she not with the man that was like a father to her, and a father to Squall.

"He doesn't know about Squall, or about Raine's death even.  He's very far away.  I was in trouble, and he saved me, then sent me home to Winhill.  He couldn't come back with me.  Raine had Squall, and raised us until just a few days ago.  Squall didn't eat for a whole day and a half but I eventually got him to."

"Has anyone contacted this Laguna since your... your mother died?"

"That's impossible.  He can't be contacted.  There's just no way.  That's why Squall and I are here.  One day I'll go find him again, but right now he's too busy, and really, a bit of a spaz, so he probably wouldn't do the best job at raising us.  He'd be the coolest dad ever, but that's not the same."

I nodded to her, chuckling in my mind.  This Raine, that raised Ellone must have been quite a woman to bring such behavior out in a little girl of seven.  But then again, before meeting Quistis I didn't think a three year old could get an electronic toy to say "Meenee" to Seifer's face.  Maybe this generation was just special.

"You seem very well adjusted to your loss," I commented.  She seemed relaxed and easy-going considering what had happened.

"I cried the day she died for a really long time, and the next day too, but not as much.  She was sick... the doctor, friends, all knew she wouldn't make it.  She made it longer than anyone thought.  She called me to her the morning before she died, and she talked to me a long time.  You know how you can be sure you're ready for something right up until it happens?"

I nodded to her.

"It was like that.  I had to be strong for Squall, and I really thought I could be, but then I couldn't and it was hard to be strong after that.  But I think Laguna being out there helps.  Cause if I got in real trouble, somehow he would know and he would come.  I wish so much he could have come back with me, and seen Raine again, and seen his son.  He would have jumped right through the roof!"

We both laughed at this although I could see sadness in her eyes. 

"But now we'll start a new little life here.  It's nice and cozy and a really nice place.  And I'll help out.  I don't need to be taken care of like a little kid."

"Oh no, you will be a welcome addition.  With Squall we have _four_ little boys, and that just spells trouble.  But Quistis will be so happy to see another girl."

She smiled at me and I smiled back.

Just then Irvine came zipping into the kitchen, panting for air and resting a hand on his knee while the other held out a small bouquet of picked flowers.  I think Irvine is rather fond of the year long flower field, as he always has access to quickly made gifts.  That's the thing about a hot climate on the coast.  Things grow like nothing else.

Ellone smiled and took the flowers.  "Thank you.  These are really nice.  How'd you know I liked purple flowers?"

Irvine beamed up at her.  "Cuz I is smawt!" He said happily.

"No yoo awen't.  Yoo din't eben know.  Yoo jus' guessed."

I sighed and waved a hand at Irvine, and then Seifer, introducing them.  "Irvine is charming, sweet and very friendly.  Seifer is..."

"Nod sharming, nod seet, and nod berry fwiendly," Zell said upon entering the room followed by Quistis.

Ellone giggled at the comment then attempted to cover it up.

"And these are Zell and Quistis.  I'm sure they'll tell you all about themselves- Where did Seifer go?"

Quistis pointed into the bedroom and I quickly stood.  '_No, Seifer... leave him alone, please.'_  I headed into the bedroom followed by Ellone and the little line of toddlers.

It seemed Seifer was growing annoyed with the small brunette that had shifted further up, and to the center of the bed.  The book had been pulled up close to his face as if to block out the now yelling and flailing Seifer.

Ellone walked up to Seifer and placed her hands on her hips.  "Stop that right now."  She said firmly and Seifer did, staring at her in shock.

"Don dell me wad ta do!" Seifer said, his eyebrows drawn together.

"Then don't do things you shouldn't."  Ellone looked to Squall.  "It's okay, Squall.  That was very good.  Mommy always told you to ignore big, dumb, bullies."

Zell was peeking out from behind my dress, the look on his face seeming to say he was taking that advice into account. 

Squall lowered the book, looking from Ellone, to Seifer, then back to Ellone and nodding.

Seifer sputtered and huffed.  "You awe jus a tupid giwl!" He went over to his bed, grabbed Boco and stomped out very dramatically.

I sighed again and Zell patted my leg to comfort me.  Seifer was getting to be a handful, and I was very glad Ellone was here to help with everything.

With Seifer no longer drawing the center of attention, the other children noticed Squall.  They enthusiastically greeted the new boy, who shyly waved back.  Ellone whispered to the little ones about Squall's silence phase and his usual quiet nature.  They 'ah'ed and nodded.

Squall gave a half glare to Ellone, having obviously deciphered her whispers.  '_Who cares if I talk.  They don't know anything about me.  They don't understand.  Only Sis understand and we don't need words.  We just know.'_  Squall lifted up the book, looking to Ellone.

"Squall wants me to read to him.  It's getting late.  I could read to everyone, before bed?"

"That sounds wonderful.  Can I ask one of you to go find Seifer?" No one volunteered.  "Irvine, I think it's your turn, isn't it?"  He looked down and nodded before shuffling away.

Finding Seifer was not a difficult thing to do.  Each boy had picked out a place in which to hide if he was bothered.  Irvine crawled under his bed, Zell clambered under the bathroom sink, and Seifer hid in the hall closet.  Everyone knew the hiding places, so it was more letting the bothered party be alone rather than not knowing where they were.

Irvine went to the closet and knocked on the door.  "Seifew."  No answer.  "Seifew, we have do buhsh ouw teesh and cwean ub.  Kall's sis is gonna wead us a 'towy."

There was an angry huff from behind the folded door.

Irvine stood there a little while longer before tugging the door open enough to scoot in too.  "Seifew, wad is da madder?  Yoo no wike his sis?"

"See cawwed me names."  He held his Boco tight.

"Bud yoo caww us names, doo."  Seifer made a rather frustrated face at that.  "Is id cause see is a giwl?"

"... Mabee...." Seifer mumbled looking up at the auburn haired boy.  "See jus' come in hewe and toog shawge of id all.  I was in shawge.  I was da big boy."

Irvine gave a flustered sigh.  "Matwyn is in shawge, yoo know dat, and yoo are till the bigges boy.  Yoo awe a wot biggew den Zell."

Seifer grinned a little and giggled.  "He is sush a widdle baby.  Otay, les go ged weady fow bed, den."  Seifer got to his feet and helped Irvine up.  The two came back into the bedroom and then went into the adjoining bathroom. 

Ellone was helping Quistis into her nightshirt, while I was helping Zell into his, and Squall into a pair of blue PJs, with feet like Irvine's, but one of the rear flap buttons missing.  It was really quite cute, but I noted to myself to replace the button tomorrow.

Zell and Quistis had found Irvine and Seifer's pajamas and had brought them to me for when the owners came out.  First out was the little cowboy wannabe, who moseyed on over to me and got dressed for bed.

Seifer was quite adamant about dressing himself for bed, but after three times of getting his head stuck in his shirt sleeve, I felt it my duty to save him from further embarrassment.  He seemed both grateful and annoyed.

When everyone was set we marched our way into the living room, took seats on the couch and chairs and huddled together for story-time.  I sat in one of the armchairs with Quistis, Ellone with Squall in the one used by the story reader, and the other three nestled together on the couch, Boco and Guna with them.

The book was by a young author, up and coming I would hope, as all the children loved the story.  It was called "Pupurun Catches A Butterfly" and as a children's story it pretty much was explained fully in the title.

With Ellone reading a page and then turning it to the others to see the pictures, story-time lasted a bit longer than usual, and Zell was sound asleep, legs splayed over Seifer's lap and head on Irvine's leg by the time it ended.

Ellone carried Squall to bed with only slight difficulty, while I lead a sleepy Seifer and Quistis to bed.  Irvine had to stay still until I could come back and pick up the silly blonde.

Once the little ones were in bed, Ellone stepped back into the kitchen.  "Matron, can I stay up a little later, since I'm older?"

"Of course dear.  What would you like to do?"

"I would like to... hmm," she paused mid-sentence to think, "to draw a picture."

"That sounds lovely.  I'll go get you some paper and crayons."  Within the next five minutes, Ellone had settled down at the kitchen table to draw and color, while I sat in the armchair in the living room, reading my latest novel.


	7. The Hyperactive Butterfly

****

Eoko: Yo. Okay, I'm going to start off with replies to my reviewers.  
I'm glad everyone seems to like my fic. Well, those that review anyway, and my RP group I make read it. looks at each RPer in turn YOU LOVE IT, RIGHT GUYS?! clears throat Anyway... I wanna clear up something. In previous chapters I posted their ages wrong cause I was having big issues with what month to write this in, and therefore how old everyone was. Everyone is either 3 or 4 and it is about January. (If I revised it already, well, I doubt you even noticed .)

Rae... I bet you love Irvine the most cause he has a mini-boomstick, right? Now, everyone, this is Rae: "Oh my god, Hick! You're totally right! OO I never even thought of that! What would I do without you??"

Okay, now I'm not ticked about this, just... stunned really. It's clear that each chibi has his/her own chapter, right? So, by simple deductive reasoning, it can be assumed who will be in this one, right?? I don't need to be told to write her in, right?! I'm not gonna leave _her_ out. Okay... venting almost done. If I'm going to stop, I'll let you know, so don't worry. I will have an (ON HOLD) like I do on my Yu-Gi-Oh fics, or I will say "Last chapter, everyone!".... and then run off to write the "growing up" and "post-game" fics.... lemony......... yessssss.... On with the chibis!!!!

Two days later things were starting to settle down. Squall still wasn't talking, nor was Seifer content to leave him alone, but with Ellone trying to keep the peace when I wasn't right there, things were a little smoother.

Today everyone was out in the flower field. A nice game of push-throwing a big ball around turned into "Seifer keeps the ball from everyone", but with the odds highly against him, he was not succeeding.

Every time Seifer managed to get the ball and run off, Ellone would easy pluck it from his grasp and bounce it back to the others, who giggled merrily at Seifer's huffing. After many foiled attempts Seifer finally gave up trying to steal the ball, and joined the others in their game.

Quistis accidentally threw the ball too high, and Zell, unable to catch it, fell backward, the ball landing on his face. He lay there confused until Seifer started laughing at him, which caused him to burst out into tears.

Zell rolled over into the flowers, burying his little face in his chubby arms and shook with gentle sobs. Quistis was pointing angrily at Seifer and yelling at him not to laugh, while he shot back with blames on her part for hitting the little blonde.

Irvine was on his knees next to Zell, a hand rubbing his back and saying, "Is otay." His voice was soft and caring. Next to him Ellone had crouched and rolled Zell over to check to see if he was alright.

Squall looked up from the flower he was plucking petals from and got to his feet. He walked over to the gathering group around the sobbing blonde, frowning at Zell's sad, wet little face.

"H...Hewe..." the little brunette said very quietly, holding out a white handkerchief to the slowly calming blonde.

Sitting up, Zell reached out for the hanky and took it, rubbing it over his face and blowing his nose in it before handing it back to Squall, who merely took it and folded it into a neat little square before putting it back in his pocket.

"Tank yoo," Zell said, looking up at Squall from his seat in the flowers. "Wanna pay wit us?" The little blonde got back up to his feet.

Squall looked at him a little startled, whether it was from the invitation to the game, or from the little energy ball's interest in returning to the game himself. "I... I... uh... otay..."

Zell happily scooped up Squall's hand and walked him over to a spot in the field. After scooting a few paces to the left he smiled at everyone and shouted out for the game to start again.

Ellone had been watching the exchange closing, smiling proudly at Squall and the first big step he made toward making friends.

It was just after Irvine passed the ball to Quistis that a bright colored butterfly flew past his shining eyes, and his attention was immediately drawn away from the game.

Ellone was keeping track of the children while I sewed quietly on the veranda bench, really only there for emergencies and extreme Seifer scolding. The bright seven year old was good at watching the little ones while playing merrily herself.

Irvine was trotting after the butterfly, toy gun drawn, shakily pointed at the flying "foe", legs kicking out in a way that made it seem impossible that the little boy was actually getting anywhere horizontally.

Around a corner and out of sight, Irvine chased the brightly colored creature until a bold rock decided to defend the defenseless insect, jutting out of nowhere to trip the running child. Of course, it was only Irvine that concluded the rock had leapt out to attack him.

After lifting himself up from his flower field face plant and retrieving his gun, he pointedly pointed it at the rock and said a very stern "bang". Just as he was lifting the gun to his lips to blow off the imaginary smoke a giggling scream came from the direction the butterfly had escaped.

He looked up to see a brown thing bobbing over the hill. And that brown thing had an extremely happy, energetic face under it, and then a little body with happily flailing arms. Irvine tilted his head in question at the child running his way.

When said child made their way over the crest of the hill Irvine screeched, covered his eyes and hurried back in the direction he had come, screaming odd babble the entire way.

I looked up from my sewing just in time to hear Irvine yell, slightly muffled by his hands, "Da madic buddafy is tacing me! An' id has no pandies!" before running smack dab into the side of the house.

I winced as Irvine fell backwards and uncovered his face. Getting to my feet quickly I hurried over to him just as he began to sniff. I crouched down next to him, lifting him into a sitting position and calming him enough to make some sense of his prior, odd screams.

I was too busy trying to decipher what I thought was gibberish, to hear the wild yips and hollers coming from the same direction as Irvine had. Meanwhile, all the other children were staring at the gleefully running... free of all restraints "butterfly".

"Quistis, cover Zell's eyes and Squall's! Seifer, cover your own. Do it or I'll stab em out. Good boy." Ellone then rushed over to the bench, scooped up a couple yards of unused material and dashed across the field, toward the brown headed girl.

In no time the material was around her and tied up in a crude toga fashion. Quistis uncovered the now giggling Zell's eyes, along with Squall's, and poked Seifer to inform him he was no longer in danger of going blind, just not in those words.

Irvine leaned around me, and upon seeing the little girl burst out with another cry, "Buddafy!"

"SEEEEELLLLLPHIE! You little-!" came the voice of a fairly agitated female, before the woman herself appeared from around the corner, a duffel and assorted clothing in her arms.

"Ah," the "butterfly", also seemed to be known as Selphie, turned to the woman and smiled widely. "Berry goo' sewvand, Aundy Agi!"

"I'm not your servant you little runt." Selphie laughed at this. The woman sighed before turning her attention to me. "Mrs. Edea Kramer, I presume. My name is Akira Litning, Rank 9 SeeD from Trabia Garden. This is Selphie Tilmitt," she said indicating the child now in the process of trying to make Seifer bow down to her with the others. "Selphie has been raised at the Garden since her birth, by basically everyone, as her parents were young and had not exactly discussed the possibility of a family any time soon. They passed away in the first counter attack against Queen Adel. Unfortunately, due to situations at Trabia, and Selphie's strangely large amount of energy, we do not believe we can fulfill her needs as a family, and so, have decided, it be in her best interest to come to this orphanage until a proper home is found for her. In the event that does not occur, we will return for her when she reaches the age of five, and bring her back to Trabia to begin her training. Her things are, here," the woman lifted her arms slightly, "and other than that, the only thing to be aware of is that, being from Trabia, she is not accustomed to the heat of this region and may take a while to adjust, which may explain why she was running around in the nude."

"Yes, alright. I will make sure that everything is in order, and inform you as soon as Selphie is adopted."

She handed me a folder of Selphie's information before turning toward the little girl. "Cadet Selphie," she stated in a half firm voice.

"Yesh Ma'am!" Selphie said saluting.

"It is time we part ways. I wish you many days filled with friends and happiness."

"May ouw pads cwoss again. Dun mage a baby wid Kedis!"

The woman scrunched up her face. "I am not going to make a baby with Kethis! You are such a brat!"

"I wuv yoo doo, Aundy Agi."

Akira pulled Selphie into a tight hug before getting back to her feet. "Bye bye, Selph."

"Bye bye." Selphie waved as Akira walked off. "So," she smiles and turned to everyone, "led's pay!"

"We wewe paying wid da ball. Do yoo wanna pay wid us?" Zell asked cheerfully.

"Oh yesh! Yesh I do!"

"Let's get you into some proper clothes first, alright, Selphie?" I handed Irvine off to Ellone and took Selphie into the house.

"We only have one bed left. It has yellow blankets and pretty blue pillows. Is that alright?"

"Yesh, yesh. I wove lallow! ((that's actually how _I_ use to say the word...))" she squealed, skipping rather awkwardly next to me as we entered the bedroom.

Together we made our way over to the little yellow bed. On it I set down her duffel and then turned to open the drawers.

Selphie stood a little to the side, holding the sides of her toga sheet dress and swinging back and forth.

As she did this I smiled a little, unpacking her things. The child could not sit still for more than a second. It was rather amusing. She and Zell would probably become best of friends in no time.

After everything was in its place, including a mini, imitation SeeD uniform, I turned to the still swinging girl. "What would you like to wear?" I asked.

"Dwess," Selphie answer brightly. "Da lallow dwess."

I went over to the girls' closet and from it pulled the yellow dress, which I now noticed had red and blue butterflies all over it. Oh... that might prove to be entertaining.

I moved back to Selphie who was picking at the knot to her toga dress, with very little success. I shifted her hands away so I could undo the tie and folded the material.

Selphie raised her hands above her head and I slipped the dress down over them. She wiggled her little body around until gravity straightened the dress.

"Now you need some underwear." I turned toward the bedside cabinet and let her sort through the contents.

"Dese ones," she said holding up a pair of pink undies with a chicobo on the front.

I took them from her to hold by her feet. She grabbed hold of my shoulder, as I was crouching on one knee, and stepped into them, then reached down and pulled them up.

She wriggled about a little more and smiled brightly. I picked up the yellow sandals I had left out and tilted my head in slight question. She lifted a foot, hand back on my shoulder and I put her shoe on, then the other. Velcro is such a wonderful thing.

Selphie looked herself over and gave a little spin. "Otay, awl weady! Led's go pay!" And with that said she zipped out of the room, down the hall and out the open door into the flower field.

When I too came out I saw Squall and Zell ducking together as Seifer and Selphie threw flower petals, steams and leaves into the air to land over them and Irvine, Quistis and Ellone throwing flowers on those two.

I raised an eyebrow before sitting back on the bench and continuing my sewing.

"Ahhhhhhh! Seifew!" Zell squealed and hucked a handful of flower bits at the bully.

"Buddafy, 'top twowing fwowews ad Zell and 'Kall!"

Selphie giggled madly, looked to Seifer and grinned. In an unspoken agreement the two turned their assault on Ellone's mini gang.

Squall uncovered his hands from his head and looked up. He blinked a couple of times before scooping up a handful of flower petals and smiling at Zell.

Zell looked back at him curiously. Then Squall took his hand and turned it palm up, dropping the mangled flowers in the blonde's hand before scooping up another bunch for himself. "Get Sis."

Zell's eye brightened when he realised they were now on the attack. They circled around to the back of their victims and together threw their ammo at the eldest girl.

Ellone spun around in surprise and looked at Squall. "Evil boy!" she squeaked and grabbed a flower to toss at him.

By the time this display was done, the flowers within a good two meter radius had been turned to mulch.

Ellone scooped up Squall and gave him a gentle shake. "Don't go attacking your big sis!"

Squall scrunched up his face and stuck out his tongue at Ellone.

Selphie laughed and curled her fingers around her lips, pulling her cheeks out as far as she could and stuck her own tongue out.

Irvine and Zell burst out into a fit of giggles at Selphie's face. Zell used his hands to squish his cheeks together and moved his mouth so he looked like a strange fish. Irvine fell to the ground as his laughter grew.

Quistis looked at everyone, wondering if they had all lost their minds. But before she could think too long she noticed hands on her face, making it shift into odd looks. "Kit id!" she squealed and Selphie giggled.

Zell was still doing his fishy-lips-face and Irvine seemed to be trying to compete by repeated pulling at his cheeks and letting them go. My, children could be strange.

Seifer, being a rather competitive little boy just had to outdo them all. He hooked his thumbs at the corners of his mouth, and pressed his index fingers under his eyes and pulled down. "Alahhahhlalalalalaaaahhhh!" he yelled as he rolled his eyes around.

Everyone looked at him and burst out laughing, letting go of their faces to flail about in happy glee or hold their tummies while they laughed.

Seifer grinned triumphantly, which caused his face to look very strange, and made everyone laugh or giggled harder. He dropped his hands from his face and grinned again. "I win."

"Yea! Yea!" came a call from one of the children on the ground.

"Seifew's so funny!"

"He's the bes'es face magew!"

A faint tinge of pink reached Seifer's cheeks as a hyperactive bundle of energy in a yellow dress reached around his middle giving him a huge hug.

"Gwoop hug Seifew!" Selphie squealed and in no time the entire group of little munchkins was around Seifer, reaching out to grab hold of some part of him.

Seifer held his arms out above the heads of his happy attackers, looking at each of them in startled shock. Zell was hugging him on his right, Irvine from behind, Quistis on his left, Squall sandwiched in between Irvine and Zell. It was complete madness, and the source of it was hugging him from the front.

"Whoooa-oooh-ohoh!" Seifer's eyes widened and his arms spun in rapid circles to try to keep his balance, but to no avail and the whole bundle of arms and legs and torsos crashed to the ground in a giggling mass.

Ellone threw her arms in the air and wandered over to me. "All crazy!" She said sitting down on the bench to watch her "brother" and his new friends.

"Seifew! Yoo'we on my food! Ged ooff!" Zell squealed, tugging at his leg.

"Dat's nod me, cwy-baby! Top whining!"

"I is nod whining, Seifew!!"

"Ooph! Who hidded me??" Seifer tried his best to sit up and find the culprit.

Said culprit's brown head crawled away with the rest of her body, giggling.

"Sefie! I gonna ged yoo!" Seifer leapt up from the mass of children and trotted in front of Selphie, holding a hand out to her forehead to stop her forward crawl.

"Children! It's nap time!" I called, standing from my seat on the bench.

One by one, those still in the pile got to their feet, brushed themselves off and headed into the house.

"Nap? I dun wanna nap, Buddewcub!"

Seifer looked down at Selphie oddly. ".... Buddewcub?"

Selphie stood up and reached way up to tug on his bright blonde locks. "Yeb."

Seifer scrunched up his face and grabbed her hand, dragging her back to the house for nap-time.


	8. Hair Clip Madness

Eoko: Yo, my chibi loving peeps! What is UP? Lol. So like, Uni semester is almost done. I plan to do a lot of writing over the break. Phoenix Feather asked, "I loved the part when Zell called Seifer an asshole. Where'd he learn that?"

Well, in short, he learned it from the people that took care of him up until we was brought to the orphanage. And no, I won't go into more detail, because I MIGHT do a short Pre-Orphanage fic with one chapter for each child about their lives before. So, completely and utterly made up. Seifer knew what it meant cause his daddy was a regular old swearing soldier.

****

Note to all the het readers: Since this fic is chibi you don't need to worry, but I am a shounen-ai/_yaoi_ writer. So, that's boy/boy stuff. But I also get squirmy if they do anything remotely freaky under 14... And even then . So, like I said, don't worry. They will have moments were shounen-ai fans can 'ooo' and 'awwww', but they will be strictly innocent cuteness and nothing more.

Also, sequel fics will be heavily shounen-ai, and later sequels will be heavily yaoi. So, if you read this, don't expect weird Seifer/Selphie, or Seifer/Quistis, or- well, I will have Squall/Rinoa, but it won't be pretty or long lasting. Like, I already made a reference to Rinoa crying and she's not even IN the fic- in the future ones. No Zell/Girl w/ a Pigtail, no Selphie/Zell, some very short Irvine/Selphie but otherwise no. Catching my drift?

Cid came home for a visit a couple days after Selphie's arrival. He was greeted by a few more sets of eyes than he had remembered.

"Oh dear, Edea, they're multiplying," he exclaimed when he came into the house to find the children playing in the living room.

I stood from my chair to greet him, giving my dear husband a hug and then sweeping my hand out to indicate the new arrivals. "This is Squall, his sister Ellone," the two waved, Ellone tipping her head in a slight bow, "and Zell," I pointed at the small child running to hide behind the window drapes, "and that one coming over is Selphie."

"Missew Cid Kwamew!" she chirped holding out a hand as far as she could. "Foun'ew of Bawam Gawden and da weason Galbadya and Twabia awe awound! Berry pweased to meed you, siw!"

Cid stared dumbstruck at the chestnut-haired toddler. Of course, she was right, but how did she know? "Selphie was it? And where are you from?"

"I am Caded Sefie Tiwmidd of Twabia Gawden! I hab heawd towies of yoo fow a whole yeaw!" She held out her arms to indicate just how long of time that was. Being three, it was quite a lot to her.

Cid smiled down at Selphie and ruffled her hair. "Cadet Selphie, I am very pleased to meet you as well. You are now dismissed to go play some more."

"Yes, siw, missew Kwamew, siw!" she saluted and trotted over to the drapes Zell was hiding behind. "Wad awe yoo doing?" she whispered, sliding in next to the hiding blonde.

"I is hiding fwom Seifew. He has haiw cwips."

Just then Seifer's voice could be heard on the other side of the drapery. "Zelly," he called in a sing-song voice. "Come hewe, Zelly. I won'd huwd yoo."

"No," Zell whispered. "Yoo'll jusd mage me wook wike a dowk."

Selphie giggled, just a little too loudly, blowing their cover.

Zell's eyes widened at her and just as Seifer pulled back the drapes he went zipping out the other side. Selphie, meanwhile, stood there, smiling and waving at Seifer.

"Whewe is Zell?" Seifer asked, holding his handful of Quistis's hair clips behind his back.

"He weft," she stated simply before stepping passed Seifer and going over to play with Quistis and Irvine, who were in the middle of trying to do addition on her toy. So far, they had managed to figure out one plus one always seemed to be two, no matter how hard they pressed the buttons.

Seifer watched her go, then turned his head in the direction of a soft thud. Noticing that everyone else was accounted for, he wandered over to look behind the couch to, of course, find Zell laying on his stomach. "Zelly." He smiled when the little blonde looked up at him.

"Oh poo..." Zell sat up and leaned his head back to look at Seifer. "Wad do yoo wand?"

"Do mage yoo wook pweddy, Zelly."

"I dun wanna wook pweddy! I am a boy! Boys awe nod pweddy!"

"Suwe dey awe! Wid a widdle woge, yoo could be pweddy!" He exclaimed, holding out the pink and blue hair clips.

Zell groaned and covered his face, then peaked through his fingers. "Whewe did yoo ged dose?"

"They'we Quissy's," Seifer said grinning from ear to ear. "Yoo can'd ged away fwom me now, Zelly."

Zell huffed and looked at the floor as if considering his options. Scream and cry and get Seifer in trouble, only to be called a little crybaby, or, let Seifer have his way... "Only if I can do one ting."

"Wat is dat?" Seifer asked, a little surprised his victim had not screamed for Matron yet, or at least to Quistis to tell her that her clips had been stolen.

"Yoo can pud da cwips all obew me, _bud_ I ged do pig one cwip and pud it in yoow haiw!" Zell said crossing his arms firmly over his chest.

Now it was Seifer's turn to consider. One little clip in his hair for consent to clip Zell's hair to death? It seemed to be a good bargain. "Deaw." Seifer held out his hands for Zell to pick his "weapon".

Bright blue eyes wandered over the various clips, narrowing in on a red one, with white lace, and shiny silver balls as pretty bobbles. It was also the largest and most noticeable of all the barrettes. He grabbed it quickly before Seifer could protest. "Kneew down Seifew. I can'd reash wit yoo way up der!"

Seifer chuckled, loving the fact that he was the tallest other than Ellone. But she was _way_ older, so she didn't count. He crouched down and tipped his head a little.

Zell worked the clip open and got to his feet, reaching out to find a good place for the clip. One of Zell's hands batted about Seifer's head, then held up a tuft of golden hair and snapped the clip over it.

"Now yoo sid down, Zell. My tuwn!" After Zell had taken a seat on the floor, Seifer stepped around him, looking from the clips to the mess of shaggy sunlight atop Zell's head. He placed the first one to the left, then a blue butterfly on the right to counter its pink comrade. Five flowers, two more butterflies and a chocobo feather clip later, Zell's head looked like Galbadia's latest Lilly doll had exploded all over it. Seifer smiled at his handy work and nudged Zell in the shoulder. "All done. Now yoo'we pwetty."

Zell turned around and looked up at Seifer, then giggled when he saw the lacey clip in this enemy's hair again. "Led's go sow ebewybody!" Zell squealed. The humiliation factor for him was not as great as it would be for Seifer.

Seifer held out a hand to help the little boy up and grinned, having forgotten about the clip in his own hair. He marched out happily, Zell behind him and into the center of the room. "Tada!" His arms gestured to Zell who struck an incredibly idiotic pose, resembling something off a bad disco movie, wide smile on his face.

Everyone burst out laughing, except Cid, who looked oddly at the two boys with barrettes in their hair. I patted his shoulder and told him, "They're just children, let them play."

Zell danced about a little and then ended with his finger pointing at Seifer's barrette. The volume in the room seemed to increase by quite a bit. The eldest boy's cheeks flared a very impressive pink as he remembered his own, large and highly ridiculous hair clip.

"Zell!" Seifer lunged at the plastic-headed child, but Zell was already dashing into the bedroom, squealing at the top of his little lungs.

Zell dove under his bed. Well, he tried to at least. Really, all he did was land on his stomach and get the wind knocked out of him.

Seifer slowed to a walk as not to collide with the fallen boy. "Zell! Dat was mean! You made dem all waff at me!"

Zell squirmed and pushed himself onto his butt. He looked up at Seifer and screwed up his face. "Dey waffed ad me doo, 'mebew?"

"Bud id's otay fow dem do waff ad yoo. Yoo'we jus a baby, an' ebewybody espets yoooo do be tupid so dey caaan waff at yoo."

Zell grabbed onto the covers and hoisted himself up. He took a step towards Seifer and shoved him in the chest. "Seifew," Zell said. "I is nod a baby. An nod ebewybody tinks I is tupid! Yoo is da baby! Yoo go all cwazy cause yoo ged waffed ad!"

"I is nod a baby!" Seifer shoved Zell back and the littler blonde fell onto his butt again. Seifer made a face as Zell looked up at him with big blue eyes and his lower lip sticking out in a pout. "I is nod a baby. Yoo is da baby."

"I is nod a baby!!" Zell screamed at the top of his lungs causing Seifer to cover his ears and step back in shock at the loudness.

Back in the living room all eyes turned to look at me as I, for once, was not rushing to stop Seifer. I looked up at the room of children and smiled to their confused little faces.

"Do you want me to…" Ellone asked, already getting up to go get Seifer.

"No, Ellone, dear, that's alright. I think it will be okay."

Zell grabbed at one of the barrettes in his hair and pulled on it. It yanked his hair and he yelped.

"See… yoo awe tupid…" Seifer said, dropping his hands from his ears and stepping back to Zell.

"Owwwie…" Zell whimpered, looking up at Seifer who looked much bigger from his current perspective.

Seifer reached out his hands and undid the clips in Zell's hair. He walked around to the back and made sure they were all out. "Yoo can'd pull dem, Zell. Dey sap. Sap, sap." He said as he opened and closed one in front of Zell's face.

Zell blinked and nodded, looking at Seifer as he turned to leave. "Seifew!"

The little bully jumped slightly and turned around. "Whad?" He asked, looking a bit bewildered.

Zell got back to his feet and walked up to Seifer, reaching up his hands as far as they would go. He stuck his tongue between his lips, trying to get up on his tip toes, but he kept falling back onto the soles of his feet.

Seifer made a confused face and leaned down a little.

"Sap, sap," Zell said brightly, now able to reach the clip in Seifer's hair. Zell snapped the clip open and pulled it down. Unfortunately a few strands of Seifer's hair had got caught in it, and were yanked out.

"Ow!" Seifer quickly raises a hand to cover the hurt spot on his head.

Zell's eyes got huge and watery, having just found out the pain of having barrettes pulling hair out. "Sowwy, Seifew!" He yelped and dropped the clip, reaching up to pull away Seifer's hand. "Awe yoo otay? Awe yoo otay, Seifew? Lemme see."

Seifer blinked stupidly at Zell's actions. A second ago they were screaming at each other and now Zell was trying to see if he was alright. "I is otay, Zell." Seifer lowered his hand from his head.

"Oh, dat's good. I gad," Zell smiled at the confused older boy.

"Yoo awe? Why?"

"Why is I gad? I is gad yoo awen'd huwd. Dun wand Seifew gedding huwd."

"Yoo dun?" Seifer blinked.

"Oh couwse!" Zell chirped. "Seifew is my fwied. Wike Quissy, and 'Kall, and Iwvy and Sephie, and wike 'Kall's big sis, doo. Eben if yoo awe mean somedimes, yoo awe till my fwied, Seifew." Zell smiled and trotted back out into the living room.

Seifer watched him run out, then smiled to himself. "I can till bug him an he will till wike me." The older boy followed the younger.


	9. Beeshy Dime Beachy Time

Eoko: I'm glad everyone seems to be enjoying this. It's a little short this time cause, well, it came to an end.

Nearly a month had passed since the last arrival to the orphanage. Everything had settled into a normalcy. Zell and Selphie were the most energetic children I had ever seen. Squall was the quietest. Ellone the most mature seven year old, I do swear, in existence, although Quistis showed a scary sort of promise in that same aspect. And then there was Irvine, the sweetest little boy in the whole wide world, with sparkling eyes and a way with making friends. Every time the flowers in the vase started to wilt, he would go pick new ones. Seifer… oh yes… mustn't forget Seifer. I'm pleased to say he's gotten better. He still teases, mostly Squall and Zell, but he's not quite the little jerk he once was. I think they've really started to settle in.

We've made a big calendar for the whole year to go across the children's bedroom wall. I let them color it and make it pretty, but the numbers I did. They're enchanted, you see, so they will change from year to year. Everyone's birthday is on the calendar, even mine and Cid's. It turned out Irvine new exactly when his birthday was, as he had had it not too long ago.

I sat on the edge of one of the beds with the children all around and we talked about birthdays and parties. Ellone is obviously the oldest. After her was Quistis. Seifer glared at her when he found this out, but smiled proudly when I said he was second oldest after Quistis.

"I is da ol'es boy," he said brightly.

He balked when I said Zell was next. In fact, quite a few of them did. He was second shortest, including both boys and girls. Zell had patted his chest and looked proud over the matter. After Zell it went Selphie, Squall and finally Irvine.

The little gun-toter looked about the room, then hung his head and gave a weak whimper of, "I weawwy am da baby."

Zell, who was on the same bed as Irvine leapt at the boy, giving him a huge hug. "Bud I is till da widdles boy!" he said happily, and the two boys hugged each other, Irvine quickly in better spirits.

Zell's birthday was coming up soon. Very soon in fact. Less than a week away. We all sat at the table having breakfast when Zell piped up. "Matwyn? Fow my biwfday, can we have a cage? Wike da ones Seifew and Quissy wewe tawging aboud? A whide one? Wit bwue icing?"

"An a tocobo," Seifer added.

Zell smiled brightly and repeated, "And a tocobo!"

I smiled and nodded to the birthday-boy-to-be. "Of course you can. What do you want for presents?"

Zell looked up at the ceiling in thought. He smiled and looked back at me. "I wand all of my fwieds to pay wid me and ead da cage." He smiled brightly to everyone.

Such an easy to please boy.

After breakfast we all changed and went down to the beach. "Alright everyone," I said when we stopped on the beach. "Let's buddy up."

Quistis and Selphie linked hands as they had every time the group was asked to find a partner. I suppose the girls wanted to stick together. Now, watching the boys was quite a bit more entertaining. Seifer never chose, having once said he'd much rather be by himself because he didn't need a buddy. Squall was still too quiet and shy to walk up to one of the others and pick, so it was always Zell and Irvine doing to choosing. Today, they were a bit odder than usual.

"I waaaaand…" Irvine started as he snuck behind Seifer.

"Wewl I waaaand…" Zell mimicked walking behind Squall.

The two made a half circle, ending up behind opposite boys, then made another quarter one before launching at each other and crying out "yoo!"

"Alright then. Selphie and Quistis, Seifer and Squall, and Irvine and Zell. Now, let's go over the rules-"

"Again?" Quistis asked. "We know dem, Matwyn." She lifted the hand not holding Selphie's and stuck up a finger. "Dun go pass da rog dat wooks wike a Bwobwa."

"An dun go into the fwowews cause is beeshy dime! ((I had to… I HAD TO!))" Zell said happily.

"An we can go in da wadew-" Irvine began.

"Bud nod pass ouw heads," Seifer finished.

"An… no twowing sad," Squall said poking some with his foot.

I chuckled and beamed at the children. "Alright, you do know the rules. Everyone can go play. Stay with your buddies." I cast level one Float spells on their heads, nothing that they would notice, but enough to keep them above water if they fell.

"Quissy, led's buiwd a sad cassel!" Selphie said happily, swinging her bucket, shovel inside.

Quistis nodded and crouched to pick up her own before the two trotted down the beach. The little blonde picked a place on the dry sand that was near enough to the wet sand that not too much carrying would be in order.

"Wad do yoo wanna do, Zelly?" Irvine asked, holding the blonde boys hand as they walked across the sand.

"I dunno." Zell smiled over at the taller boy. "Wad do yoo wanna do?"

"Le's go pay in da waddew. I spash yoo good!"

The two trotted down to the water's edge, running up to the gentle ripples, then scurrying away when the water came too close to their toes, squealing with glee and clinging to each other.

Seifer looked at Squall for a moment. "Yoo wanna sid on da rog… dun yoo?"

Squall looked up at Seifer and nodded.

"Yoo aways sid on da rog."

Squall nodded again.

"Der is nodding at do on da rog."

"I can wash," Squall said quietly, looking at everyone else. "I can wash dem pay."

Ellone snuck up behind her brother, holding her finger to her lips so Seifer would know to not reveal her.

"Yoow sis is behide yoo," Seifer said, grinning at Ellone.

She scowled and stuck her hands on her hips. "Brat, Seifer." He just smiled wider. "Squall, why don't the three of us build something like Quistis and Selphie?"

"I dun wike cassels…"

"I wike cassel," Seifer retorted.

Ellone huffed. "Why doesn't Seifer make the castle part, and Squall can make the pretty garden part. We could use shells and little rocks for flowers. You like flowers, Squall, like back home."

Squall nodded and grabbed onto Ellone's hand.

"Okay, Seifer, why don't you find us some good sand?"

Seifer marched off ahead of them to locate the best sand on the beach.

"Iwvy!" Zell squeaked as salt water splashed all over his bare chest.

Irvine giggled and then gasped when he was splashed in return.

The two boys continued to kick and throw water at each other until they were soaked from head to toe and then still more. They laughed and ran through the shallows, tripping over nothing but water and falling onto their hands and knees.

Zell stuck out his tongue when he got seaweed in it and Irvine cracked up in near hysterics, falling onto his bottom in the water.

Selphie would run by them every now and then, dumping a bucket of water on one of them before scooping up more and running back to Quistis, the two boys kicking water at her retreating back.

When it was time to go in everyone had gotten fairly wet, if not from their own playing, then from Selphie attacking them with her pail. I handed out little towels to everyone who wrapped up in the fluffy dryness they had to offer.

Squall and Seifer were glaring at Selphie for soaking them, while the little brunette just smiled gleefully and began bouncing towards the stairs. She grabbed Zell's hand on the way, who grabbed Irvine, who grabbed Quistis.

The line grew even further as Ellone, Squall, and even Seifer's hands were grabbed and dragged up the stone steps by the leader, Miss Selphie Tilmitt. They wiped their feet on the backdoor mat and shuffled into the house for a bit of quiet time before dinner, baths and bed.


	10. The Shortest of Four Year Old Boys

Eoko: In case you're all wonder, no I still don't own anything to do with SE's chars. I don't know why though. I have that bid on E-bay at a whole 5 dollars. That's gotta be a shit load in gil! -sigh- So you have no reason to sue. As an update I have a job now, and will be getting something, but that will go towards paying the $1000 car bill... 

I love all your reviews so much. matthewmystar's really touched me. I'm so glad I can cheer you up! And I'll have plenty of Seifer-Zell interaction. Canon demands it as well as I love it.

* * *

It was early yet, the sun just coming up, but there were things to do on this particular day and I wanted them finished before the children woke up. I stood at the counter, mixing a bowl of blue icing while the vanilla cake baked in the oven.

I had several other dishes of still white icing laid out on the counter as well. One would become sunny yellow for the chocobo, and the smaller one next to it would be the darker yellow outline. The third and fourth bowl were to be white and green for little flower decorations.

After the icings were all colored, put into their proper bags, and put in the fridge to keep cool I set to work decorating the living room a bit. A few paper streamers here, a little magic there and it was done in no time.

By the time the table was set and everything was ready for the afternoon's party, the cake was done. I didn't set a buzzer, because then the children would wake up, but my instincts with baking had always been top notch. I removed the cake from the oven and set it atop a cooling tray on the counter, next to the partially opened window.

I smiled out over the sea. Everyone had been making little gifts for Zell, trying to keep everything secret from him. Cid had picked out a present I had requested from Balamb a few days ago, and other little things.

"Matwyn?" I heard a little voice and turned to see Zell in the doorway, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. I had somewhat expected the birthday boy to be up earlier than usual.

"Good morning, Zell. Happy Birthday."

A broad smile spread across his face and he toddled over to me, hugging one of my legs around my dress. "I is fouw," he said brightly.

"Yes you are," I said smiling and ruffled his hair. The fact that he hadn't grown very noticeably at all in the month and a bit he had been here, made it even more amusing that he was now four years old.

"I is ol' as Seifew now." He smiled up at me.

"That's not quite how it works," I commented, reaching down to pick him up and hold him on my hip. "He's still a whole year older than you. It's just that you have a birthday early in the year and he has a birthday late in the year."

"I dun ged id…" Zell pouted, his brow drawn tight as he tried to work it out.

"I know dear, but that's how it is. Just remember he's older than you actually."

"Otay!" he squirmed a little instead of asking to be put down, so I set him on the floor. "Can I have some wadew? My mouff is all dwy."

I chuckled, heading to the cabinet to get him his favorite blue cup. Zell had a cute tendency to sleep with his mouth open which usually resulted in him drinking a lot at breakfast or asked for water in the middle of the night.

He reached up on his tiptoes for the cup after I put had filled it three-quarters full and was starting to hand it to him. He smiled brightly when he got his hands around it and brought it to his mouth, gulping it down.

"Don't choke, hunny."

He shook his head a little, cup still at his lips. He finally lower the cup and took a deep breath, smiling again. "Habby Biwfday do me!"

"Zell, shh," I reminded him, holding a finger to my lips. "The other's are still asleep."

"Ooph," he covered his mouth with one hand and made an odd little sound behind it, wiggling about.

I chuckled at him then glanced over at the clock on the wall. It was still a few minutes until they usually woke up, but I couldn't see the hurt it waking them a little early. "Want to go wake them up, Zell?"

His eyes lit up gleefully and I knew his answer was yes. I plucked the near empty cup from his hands and shooed him off to so wake up the others in whatever way he wanted.

Zell trotted back into the bedroom and looked from bed to bed, deciding who he would wake up first.

Having chosen to wake up Selphie, Zell snuck over to the side of her bed and stretched up onto his tiptoes to see her, curled on her side and facing him. The blonde reached out a hand and batted lightly at Selphie's arm. After several swats the bright eyed brunette awoke and blinked at him.

"Zell?" she asked, yawning halfway through the name. Once she had half woken she smiled at the happy looking boy. "Happy Birthday!" she said brightly, still not loud enough to wake the others.

"Shhh!" Zell hushed her, holding his finger to his lips as Matron had done and wiggling about, shifting his weight from foot to foot.

She giggled at him and leaned off the bed to give him a hug. "You fouw."

"Yah-huh!" Zell couldn't do much to hug Selphie back, considering her position, so he waited for her to let go of him. "Wanna hewp me wage up da udders?"

"Yeah!" Selphie said excitedly, this time too loudly and she covered her mouth as she and Zell looked around the room. No on had woken from her scream.

"Otay. Wage up Quissy, 'Kall add Sis," Zell said as he trotted over to Irvine's bed and climbed up on top of it. He sped across the mattress on his hands and knees, then all but tackled the unaware, unconscious boy.

The mini-cowboy-to-be yelped in utter surprise, big violet-blue eyes opening wide in confusion. "Wha!"

"Habby Biwfday do me!" Zell cried, completely stopping his quest to be quiet while waking his friends.

"Biwfday…?" Irvine rubbed at his eyes with the heel of one hand, then rubbed his nose with the back of said hand.

"My biwfday!" Zell cheered and huggled the yet-to-fully-wake boy tightly.

"Oh." Irvine blinked a few times and looked around, seeing Selphie blowing a raspberry on Ellone's stomach. He giggled merrily.

Zell, still having to wake up Seifer, and getting bored with sleepy-Irvine, slipped off the tan and purple bed and headed to where Seifer still "slept".

At hearing the smaller blonde's approach Seifer rolled over and held onto his blankets tighter.

"Seifew…" Zell whispered, looking at the older boy, eyes just reaching over the mattress top.

"No," Seifer said shortly, tugging his covers back when Zell gave them a little pull.

"Seifeeeew…" Zell whined, pouting cutely. "Is my biwfday. Wage up."

"No," Seifer said again, irritation slipping into his otherwise sleepy voice. He wanted to sleep in. He _usually_ wanted to sleep in.

Zell scuttled around to the other side of the bed and looked at Seifer's face, covers up to his nose and eyes shut tight.

The little blonde reached up an arm to touch Seifer's hand. "Pwease…?" he tried one last time.

Seifer's brow furrowed further and his eyes slitted open to the sad little face of Zell. Well, no matter how much of a jackass, no one could turn down that face. But Seifer didn't have to act all nice about it.

"Fine," he grumbled and sat up.

Zell bounded away, face happy and alight with glee. "Yay!" he sang.

Soon everyone was awake and coherent enough to make it into the kitchen for breakfast. "Tocopaws!" Zell squealed as he wriggled in his seat. "Tocopaws, tocopaws." He swayed back and forth.

"Alright, Zell, alright. Calm down a little." I patted him on top of the head and he giggled happily.

"Otay, Matwyn." He beamed up at me, pearly whites and tiny little fang-like canines.

I had my doubts about whether he would be able to calm himself or not.

Everyone followed Zell's example and had Chocopuffs and apple juice for breakfast. Seifer didn't even challenge Zell to an eating war. Everyone was happy and behaving well.

I had my doubts about that staying as it was as well. As soon as they were set loose I had a feeling it would get rather wild.

After breakfast I headed over to the sink with my dishes, the children following suit. I took their dishes from them and placed them neatly in the sink. I'd put them in the dishwasher after I took everyone into the living room and gave them something to do.

They marched after me in their little line, over to the middle of the room. Once there I showed them the little games that were set up.

There was a bean bag toss, a 'pin the tail on the chocobo', and a few other little party games. I smiled and sent them off to play while I finished up in the kitchen. The always needed piñata would have to wait until I could monitor them. Didn't need Seifer swinging the stick at the others.

"Seifew's seading!" came a loud cry from what sounded like Selphie some minutes later.

"Am nod!" was the inevitable reply.

"Yeah, you awe!" That would be Irvine.

"Ged him!" Selphie again, followed by the sound of many little bodies hitting the floor and the occasional yelp.

"Ged ooff!" Seifer screamed and grunted, trying to get away from everybody that was holding him or actually sitting on him.

"No," Selphie squealed. "You seaded!"

I came into the room to see Selphie sitting on Seifer's back, Zell holding one of his feet, Irvine pointing his toy gun at the blonde's head and the others either staring at, or ignoring the scene.

"Selphie! Get off him. Zell, let go, and Irvine, put the gun away and step back from the captive."

Seifer pouted up at me as if saying he didn't need any help to get away. Of course, this was wishful thinking as there was no way he'd be able to escape Selphie and Co.

Selphie, who refused to get up on her own accord, was hauled off the squished blonde and set on her feet. "Now, what happened?" I asked the group as a whole.

"Seifew seaded!" Selphie cried.

"I gathered that much. How did he cheat?" It wasn't difficult to guess what might have been the issue, but if they were going to make such a fuss about it then I wanted a direct answer.

"He was peeging when id was his tuwn ta pud da tawl on da tocobo!" Little Miss Justice of the Peace declared.

I arched a brow at Seifer who merely glanced off to the side with a slight grumble. I suppose he realized that saying "no I did't!" did not work at all.

"Seifer, in the chocobo game you have to close your eyes really tight. It's more fun if you can't see," I explained to him.

"I wand ta win…" he murmured, still looking to the side.

"It doesn't matter if you win or lose. It is only a game. It is for fun, not for prizes, so enjoy yourself and don't cheat, or Selphie will attack you again."

The little brunette beamed happily, quite ready to attack the naughty blonde if he was going to disobey the rules again.

I know my little "lecture" had sunk in, even if Seifer didn't show it, so I left them to their games and returned once again to the kitchen.

The dishes were put in the dishwasher and the cake was brought down from its cooling tray. I was half way through icing the cake when Zell came running into the kitchen, squealing and laughing at the same time.

Right behind him was Seifer, who slowed his chase to a walk as he entered the room I was in and hid his hands behind his back.

I arched a brow at him again as Zell darted behind my legs and clutched onto my dress.

"He's gonna 'tick me!" Zell cried, peeking out to look at Seifer, then giggling and hiding again.

"No I is nod…" he shuffled back and forth in the place he had stopped, glancing between Zell and the floor.

"What's behind your back, Seifer?" I inquired, reaching a hand behind me and down to ruffle Zell's hair.

I was surprised when the child being questioned did not deny the hidden object, and simply looked down at his feet while he held out one of the tails from the Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Chocobo game.

"Seifer, what are you planning to do with that?" I asked, giving him a stern look. According to Zell's cries I knew exactly what he'd been planning, and of course Zell screeched one more accusation around my dress.

"You cannot stick pins into the children, Seifer." I really thought that was a rather obvious rule. None of the other children were running around trying to stick pinned tails onto their little fellows.

"I was't twying ta 'tick him, Matwyn. I jus' wanned ta 'cawe him a widdle." Seifer lifted up his hand and placed the paper tail in my outstretched hand then took a few sheepish steps back.

I sighed audibly and looked down at him. "What am I going to do with you? You can't even behave on his birthday. I just don't know, Seifer. I just don't know." I knew though, at least in part, what I wanted to say. Or at least what my tongue wanted to say without the guidance of my mind. I _wanted_ to say it was hopeless, but I would never use such a dreary, hurtful word towards one of my boys. Besides, my mind had hope for him still.

"I can!" he said in some strange burst of compliance, trying to show me he could follow the rules. He ran around to Zell and before the littlest boy could escape, he had him wrapped in his arms.

Zell squeaked and squealed and giggled, and I had to stop myself from thinking Seifer was attempting to hurt the boy. After a few moments of playful struggle Zell turned about in Seifer's arms and hugged him back, eyes tightly shut as he bounced in place.

I really hoped Zell was in for a delayed growth spurt, because the size difference in the two was almost scary. I cocked my head at the older boy who looked up at me, his arms still around the latest four year old. "Zell wuvs me, see? He know I wood nevah huwt him fow weal."

Zell turned his shining blue eyes at me, and they almost shook with joy. "Seifew mage my chess go tump-tump weal fasd. I go 'ah!' and wun and wun and he tases me. Id is ouw game, Matwyn. Is my and Seifew's game."

I cocked a brow at the two of them. Maybe it was a game at sometimes, but when Zell ran to me crying I knew it wasn't. How was Seifer going to make friends if he kept driving them away? Not everyone would be as openly loving as Zell.

"Well, as long as you're playing. But, Seifer, no actual sticking pins into the other."

He gave me a look as if to say that was completely obvious and unwound his arms from the younger boy. "Shoo," he said, pushing on Zell's shoulders, forcing him back in the direction of the living room.

The little blond giggled and tottered back to his friends. Seifer looked back up at me with a stern look on his face. "I woun't tick him. Dat woud huwt."

"Don't make Zell cry, Seifer." This was meant to mean both from physical means as well as verbal. "You're the eldest boy. You have to protect the little ones." Give him responsibility, make him accountable.

He stared at me a long time, knowing well and good the only child I had placed any power in so far was Ellone. Very slowly he nodded and then returned to the living room where all the others were happily playing.

The day continued to its point of finality. Cake was eaten, presents were given, in the form of both toys and works of art, children played themselves to exhaustion and then were put to bed. I wondered idly, as I sat at the kitchen table sipping my tea, if seven birthdays a year would tired me out. Surely not, though. And surely it wouldn't be long before they were adopted, such sweet little boys and girls, my children were.


	11. Kidnapped

Time flew, as it had a tendency to do. Before I knew it my darling children had already aged a year…

The children were outside playing hide and seek while I read by the large, open glass door. I could hear them laughing and squealing when they were found, and at least once, Quistis yelling 'cheat--er' at Seifer. Well, I would assume it to be Seifer, knowing him.

I settled further into my book, smile on my face. My mind drifted into the literary world, created by simple text and the imagination it took to organize it into this story. It was at the nearing shouts of my children that I snapped back to reality.

"Matwyn! Matwyn! He's missing!" Selphie cried, leading the pack into the house and practically into my lap.

I scanned the group and noted the worried expressions and the missing child. "Zell's missing?" I asked to clarify, receiving a number of nods to confirm the obvious scene before me.

"We called olly-olly, and he did't come out," Seifer said, crossing his arms and frowning. "He's a sucky suck-up and he follows all the rules."

"Seifer!" Irvine swatted his arm. "Zell is not a sucky suck-up!"

"Seifer, no names. Irvine, no hitting. What happened?"

"We was-"

"Were," Quistis corrected.

"We _were_," Selphie continued, "playing hides and seeks. And we all hid and Seifer was it and he found us all."

Seifer puffed out his chest, looking proud of himself, but he deflated a little at what Selphie had to say next.

"_Except_ Zell. And then he would't say olly-olly, so we all looked but none of us could find him no where!" the little brunette waved her hands about then held them out, palms toward me imploringly.

"Then Seifer got worried and called olly-olly," Squall added quietly.

"I was not worried about the baby!" Seifer yelled far too quickly. Squall's sentence had barely come to an end before the blond boy started with his retort. He glared at Squall as the explanation went on.

"It doesn't matter!" Quistis protested. "Seifer called olly-olly and Zell didn't come out. And we ran all over yelling olly-olly and nothing!" she lifted her hands into the air and brought them down in an enormous sigh.

"Alright, alright. No one heard any shouting from Zell? That he might be stuck somewhere and need help?" I frowned a little at the shaking heads. "I think we need to give Cid a call."

"SeeD!" Selphie squealed and hopped in place. "SeeD will find Zell!"

I placed my hand gently atop her head and smiled warmly. I nodded a little, first to her, then reassuringly at the rest of the children. "Yes, SeeD will find Zell." I got out of my chair and moved into the kitchen and to the phone. The children followed me and crowded around my legs as I picked up the receiver and dialled Balamb Garden.

"Cid," I said after moving through the channels. "Zell is missing."

- - -

Meanwhile the missing blond was gleefully giggling away as a torama carried him through and out of the flower field, the hem of his little jeans caught between a set of sharp teeth. He giggled at the lolloping pace and at the way he bounced up and down as they went.

The torama carried Zell into a thicket and dropped him down next to a small litter of three much smaller versions of itself. He crawled onto his hands and knees and looked at the nearest kitten, who took a step nearer him then proceeded to headbutt the small blond.

Zell fell onto his bottom, blinking at the furry creature. Then he got back onto his hands and knees and headbutted the torama right back.

The kitten shook its head about then cocked it to the side. More giggles flew from Zell's mouth and he clapped his hands excitedly. Next he launched himself into the group of kittens and snuggled around in their warmth and soft fur.

The mother leaned down over the nest of kittens, plus Zell, and licked at his face, forcing his bangs up and off his forehead to stand in disarrayed, vertical spikes.

This, too, made Zell giggle, then he nuzzled his face against one of the kittens to rid it of the dampness. One of the other tiny toramas crawled over his legs, made itself comfortable and dozed off. Soon the lot of the little monsters were napping the morning away.

- - -

After the nap the little group wandered out of the thicket and into a lovely, lush meadow. Zell crawled along on all fours, because it just seemed wrong not to, and in no time was tackled into the grass by one of the kittens.

"Mooshi!" Zell cried and giggled, rolling onto his back to ward off the patting paws and licking tongue. Soon the other two little critters had joined in and they were all locked in a playful battle, the names of all three toramas being called out accusingly and being answered with purrs and high pitched yowls.

"Susa! Topi!" Zell called as they bounded off of him and a little way away to tackle one another and tumble in the tall grass. The blond crawled hurriedly after them and attempted his own leaping attack but only gained a face full of grass and something that sounded suspiciously like laughing for his efforts.

Zell started laughing too and sat up, then pushed at Topi, who knocked into Mooshi, who fell into Susa who tumbled right over and landed on his back with all four paws in the air. The blond boy jumped on the kitten and cuddled him happily.

- - -

Three SeeDs and five cadets sat in the living room, various children attached to them in one way or another. They were collecting all the information they could concerning Zell's disappearance, which was very difficult considering most of that information came from bubbly children, most speaking at the same time.

After determining Zell's approximate last whereabouts the Balamb mercenaries moved into three separate groups and headed out in search of the blond boy. Their search covered a forty-five degree area with the orphanage as the center point.

About an hour and a half into the search a member of the first team paused, then called out, "Torama!"

"Offensive stances," the SeeD in charge of the group ordered, the two cadets jumping into fighting positions. The leader watched the creature for a moment then made a gesture with his hands for the boys to relax a little. "Easy now, move forward."

As they drew closer the second cadet noticed the kittens. "Elrish, she's got babies."

The leader, Elrish, squinted a moment, then nodded. "I see them, and… a child."

"That must be Zell! How should we proceed?" asked the first cadet.

"We will first try a distraction. Tannen, you launch the Wizard Stone. Leat, you cast Thunder on it, understood?"

"Operation Big Bag! Yes, sir! Understood!" Leat said enthusiastically, readying the spell and watching Tannen for the release of the Wizard Stone via his sling slot.

The stone went soaring, sparks and tendrils of lightning from the Thunder spell chasing after it until they caught up and the stone exploded with a deafening crack-a-kaboom.

The torama's head shot up and yowled at the kittens who were already tripping over each other to get back to her. The family ran off, then paused, looking back at Zell in the grass, making a face and covering his ears.

They yipped and called to him but he couldn't hear the sounds because of his hands over his ears. A glance past the boy to the approaching group forced the mother to call her kittens back to the safety of the thicket, leaving Zell to be collected.

Big blue eyes stared up at the finely clad SeeD and his team. His hands fell to his lap and a wide grin spread across his face.

"Zell?" asked Elrish. "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Zell replied, getting to his feet. "I was playing."

"Playing with toramas?" Tannen asked, shocked.

"Playing wit Susa and Mooshi and Topi," Zell clarified as he dusted off his butt and leaned down to redo one of the Velcro straps on his shoe.

"That's dangerous, Zell."

"No s'not. Their mommy was watching us so we would't get hurt. We had to stay where she could see us. It's a rule, yoo know. Matwyn makes us do it too."

The team glanced at each other, then shrugged it off as children being just that. Elrish smiled at Zell and crouched onto one knee. "So, shall we go back to Matron then, Zell? She's probably awfully worried about you."

"Oh yes… I think we should."

"Would you like a piggy-back ride?"

"Yes! Yes!" Zell cried, jumping up and down. The only time they got piggy-back rides was when Cid visited the orphanage. He scrambled around Elrish and jumped up onto his back, wrapping his arms around the SeeD's neck and his legs around his waist as best he could.

The team leader wrapped his arms behind him to support Zell's weight and bumped him up a touch. "Alright! Let's get back! Tannen, you call Baline and Feran. Tell them we found the kid."

- - -

Elrish's team came marching up to the orphanage, the rest of the SeeDs and cadets already back and spending their time playing with the children. When said children saw Zell waving wildly from atop Elrish's back they broke away from the other mercenaries and ran over. They cheered and yelled, waving their arms.

The SeeD crouched and let Zell wriggle down to the ground and run into the mob of his friends. The whole group fell into the flower field as they hugged each other tightly and laughed. Elrish and his team moved over to the rest of the Garden personnel and a relieved looking Edea.

"He was off in a meadow south-east of the flower field, with a family of toramas."

My eyes widened at that. "Toramas? Are you sure?"

"Yes, ma'am. A mother and about three kittens. Not more than a scratch or two on him too," Tannen added.

"He said he was playing. Playing with toramas! Can you imagine?" Leat exclaimed, quite a number of the people listening looking briefly over at the boy.

I did too, watching him tumbling around with his friends. "Oh, I said, looking at the happy, bubbling blond. "Oh," I repeated to myself before turning back to the mercenaries and offering them a friendly smile. "Well, boys will be boys and a child's imagination has no limitations it seems."

It looked like I would have to set up some stronger wards around the orphanage. Had I known a family of toramas were so close they would already have been in place, but they must have moved in after the last sweep of the area.

No matter. It would not be difficult to strengthen the current wards a little and add a few stronger ones further out. I was just happy that Zell was back, safe and unharmed save for a scratch here and there.

- - -

"Are yoo a cowboy?" Irvine asked the SeeD who carried a shotgun.

Feran blinked and looked over at the little auburn haired boy. "A cowboy?"

"Yes. Yoo have a gun, so are yoo a cowboy? I'm a cowboy, or, I'm going to be a cowboy when I get big. I have a gun, see?" He took his toy gun out of the ever present holster slung around his waist and showed it to the seated SeeD. "That makes me a cowboy, right?"

"I, er…"

"Yep!" the female SeeD dropped down onto the arm of the chair Feran was sitting in, making him jump.

"Baline! Hyne, don't do that."

"Baah. Now Irvy-wervy cutie pie. Feran here ain't no cowboy. No way, no how. I know cowboys, Irvy. Real honest to goodness cowboys. I'm going to _marry_ a cowboy, so I totally know what it takes. First thing ya need is yer gun, and ha, you got that part done and good. Next thing is a hat and a pair o' boots. Every cowboy needs a good pair of boots and a hat. And last of all is a chocobo!"

Irvine was fidgeting with energy and anticipation, Baline's exuberant speech making him jubilant and antsy. He leaned forward, listening avidly, eyes wide as saucers and sparkling with excitement. He hopped a little even while seated on the floor. "A chocobo!"

"Right, right! Of course! A cowboy's gotta know how to ride, ya know. It's totally necessary. But yer still just a little fellah, so you got lots of time before you need to be worrying about them chocobos. You set yer eyes on a hat, and some boots. Then you'll be the greatest little cowboy on Centra!"

"Okay!" Irvine squealed happily. "I'll be the bessest greatest!"


	12. Chicken Baby

Eoko: HEY! I'm back! I got back into FF8! O.o So, I'll be writing again! And this is one of the chaps! And it's great cause I'm totally back into the same kick as before and know where I was going with things. So it should all flow well. Also, as you may have noticed, this fic is more snapshots of the past than a huge fic with filler chapters and things. I think there are about... 5ish more things I need to write for sure before it gets all angsty with the kids leaving each other. Well, keep checking back! Cause I already starting writing the next chap!

- - -

I was starting to find it incredibly useful to have an entire academy at the beck and call. Although I would never dream of using them for every little thing, there were just some circumstances where a few good men could do wonders. This was one of those times.

During one evening, gathered around a farmyard story book, the children had begun talking about all the animals. This turned into talks of chickens and eggs and tasty breakfasts. This in turn had led to my current desire to have a small chicken coop built for the purpose of fresh eggs, not to mention something else to entertain the growing children.

Well, other than Zell. Zell didn't seem to be growing very much still. He'd certainly gained a few inches. Heavens, he was four now. Just a very small four. But that was fine. He _was_ still growing, and that was the main thing.

The chicken coop wouldn't take long to build. It was just a simple thing of wood and wire, and a little lean to for the fluffy birds to nestle in at night and lay their eggs. The building of said coop was currently entertaining the little ones.

Seifer and Selphie seemed like they were pretending to oversee the construction, leaning together every now and again and pointing this way and that. It was truly amazing how Selphie made friends so easily with everyone. Quistis and Ellone sat over by the carriers that temporarily housed the clucky birds, and the rest sat near the house watching the building, giggling if something fell or someone got bumped.

It _was_ clear that the young men were _not_ carpenters, by any means, but they were still doing a splendid little job of it. I was very pleased with things so far. The children were happy, the coop would be finished in no time and the chickens would be part of the family without delay. I couldn't wait to hear some of the names they would receive.

- - -

I had to take back what I said before. At least one of the little crew from Garden did have a great deal of skill with hammer and nails. The coop was fully enclosed so that nothing could swoop down from above and snatch up one of the new pets. The roof was wood and slightly slanted to drain off rain water and two of the far sides had solid walls. The two other sides nearest the house here wire so that the children could see into the coop from inside. There were even raised nesting boxes for the chickens and a little ramp for them to run up to get to them.

Apparently someone on the team also had some experience with chickens, since there were perches for roosting at various levels within the coop. Overall, it looked quite brilliant for a quaint little orphanage in the middle of nowhere.

The children seemed to think so too. They had cheered for the Balamb cadets when they finished, giving many congratulatory hugs for the long day's work and praising them for building "the bessest coop ever in the world".

Now that the chickens were in their new home, the children were crowding around the wire to watch them, pointing wildly when one did something amusing, usually cause a few of the others to start, or crouch to the ground in surprise. That did have to be a rather silly survival technique. Although stopping dead in your tracks would cause a large enemy to bolt right past you, it was very useless if you were to do it for any little thing that startled you. Well, a good thing it was a domestic bird then.

"That one! That one is Klihu!" Zell called, pointing to one of the mottled bluish chickens half way up the ramp.

To make it fair, each of the children has picked one bird that they would name. The additional ones were to be named by myself and Cid. It was a good thing that the birds all seemed to have something distinguishing about them. Otherwise I could see all hell breaking loose over whose bird was whose.

Zell's names were always a little odd. Klihu the chicken, and the toramas he had told me about as well. They didn't really match the names the others came up with. Irvine had called his Bang, Selphie's was named Cookie. Squall had just called his Clucky, and Quistis picked Fluffy. Ellone, being older, chose a more mature name for her's: Princess. Seifer's chicken was actually the rooster: a sleek, black and shining cockerel who strutted around the coop the moment he set foot in it. His name was Bandit, and a perfect little match at that.

After asking me again and again what I would name my chicken, I finally settled on Mana. And after a call to Cid and much whining and pleading on the part of the little ones, Cid had relented and blurted out Blossom, for his, then grumbled briefly to me about not getting to name the rooster.

I told the children that the chickens had to adjust to their new home a little, and that they should start laying eggs in a couple of days. Everyone was very happy. Pets, fresh eggs, and fluffy entertainment for all. How wonderful.

- - -

Everyone was off playing around the orphanage, while I toiled in the small garden. The girls all huddled together on the concrete "deck" that lead out towards the flower field, drawing with chalk, playing hop-scotch or tick-tack-toe.  Irvine and Squall were being detectives, overturning small rocks and logs, and inspecting various greenery with a magnifying glass they had found.

Seifer and Zell had been watching and arguing over the chickens the last time I had checked on them, and as they had not come back around to the other side of the house where the rest of us were, I assumed that was what they were still doing.

- - -

"His name is not Bandit! It's Relar-kah!" Zell said, one set of fingers curled in the chicken wire, the other pointing at the rooster.

"His name is Bandit! He is my chicken and I got to name him, so it is Bandit!" Seifer said, glaring at the shorter blond.

"But yoo didn't even ask him his name. Yoo all jus named them whatever yoo wanted and no one got 'em right at all." Zell pulled his hands back and crossed his arms over his chest.

The older boy reached out and gave him a little shove in the shoulder. "Yoo can't ask a chicken its name, silly baby. It is a chicken!" He waved his hand at the coop. "Chicken goes cluck, cluck, cluck. It can't talk to yoo. Yoo can't talk chicken, can yoo? Can yoo? Are yoo a little chicken baby? That can talk to chickens?"

Zell scrunched up his face, turning away a little and moving closer to the coop. "I _can_ talk to dem. I asked Klihu her name and she told me and that is her name! And Mooshi and Topi and Susa! They told me their names too!"

"Who are Mooshi and Topi and Susa? Do yoo have more friends yoo are keeping secret?" Seifer said, moving closer to Zell again. It seemed he'd already found using his height to his advantage.

"No! I told yoo all about them. About the fluffy kittens with the soft fur. That is them. Yoo don't _listen_, Sei-fer!" he said, turned back enough to glare up at the taller boy.

"At least I am not crazy like yoo are. I don't think I can talk to the chickens and the toramas."

"I don't _think_ it! I can!" Zell said, eyes starting to water as he turned around and shoved Seifer in the chest.

"Ow! Okay! If yoo can talk to the chickens, yoo go be in with the chickens, little chicken baby!" he cried, unlatching the coop and shoving Zell inside. He closed it fast, before the younger blond could even figure out what had happened, then ran back a few meters to point and laugh. "Maybe the chickens will save yoo now!"

Seifer grinned before running away, smartly not to the other side of the house where everyone else was, but far enough away that Zell could no longer see him.

The little blond's eyes started to water more, one little tear escaping as he blinked, then bent his head down to look at the something brushing his leg. He crouched down and scooped up the bluish, mottled chicken, hugging it gentle to his small frame.

He shuffled his way over to the ramp leading to the nesting boxes and sat down on the edge, letting the chicken get comfortable in his lap.

A little sniffle made the bird look up and tilt its head to the side. She cooed softly, making Zell smile and start petting her from head to tail. Every once in a while the chicken would look up in the direction Seifer had scurried off in and make a soft sound somewhere between a coo and a warble. Again Zell would smile.

Eventually the other chickens started to gather around the pair, except for Bandit who was more occupied scratching at the ground for worms or bugs. They fluffed up and shook their bodies, or lifted their heads and clucked.

The sun was just starting to set and it was about time to go back inside. Zell shifted a little, growing uneasy. He thought that Seifer would come back and let him out once he saw Zell wasn't scared of being in the coop. In fact, going in there had calmed him from the bully's teasing.

But soon it would be dark and he was locked in the pen. He wanted to go back in. He wanted to have bed time stories and wear his pyjamas, and give everyone hugs goodnight. His breathing started to come a little faster and his eyes welled up again, but he didn't cry just yet.

Klihu hopped off of the boy's lap and started to circle around the coop. When Zell started to sniffle a little she ruffled up all her feathers, then lifted her head in the air and started making the biggest racket a little chicken could. After a few moments two more of the chickens joined her in their clucking frenzy.

That was enough to draw the attention of everyone around the orphanage, and we all came running to see what was wrong. I slowed my dash when I saw Zell in the coop and Seifer nowhere to be seen. That boy was... beyond frustrating at times.

"Zell! Why are yoo in the coop?" Irvine asked, curling his fingers in the wire.

Zell got up and ran over to the door where Ellone let him out and hugged him tight while Quistis shut it again.

"Seifer..." he said softly, nuzzling his face into the front of Ellone's dress.

I looked over to the left to see a blond head disappear quickly behind a group of rocks. "Seifer!" I called, standing firmly in place. I was not going to retrieve him. He was going to come to me.

"I didn't do it!" He yelled back.

"What have I told you about lying, Seifer?" I called. "Come here, now."

There was silence for probably near a minute before he shuffled out from behind his hiding place, and another few while he dragged his feet coming over. "I'm sorry I locked Zell in with da chickens..." he mumbled to the ground.

"_Slightly_ better. Now apologize to Zell." You could tell he was making a face by the way his head shifted ever so slightly to the right.

He glanced up a little, then finally stood up and looked at Zell. "I'm sorry," he said, a pouty little frown spreading across his face. You would think, with so much practice being forced to utter those words, he would have gotten used to them by now.

- - -

"Alright Seifer," I said to him after breakfast was finished the next morning. "Because of what you did yesterday, you have to feed the chickens and see if there are any eggs. Zell will watch the door while you go in, but he is not to help you."

Seifer scrunched up his face, but he didn't argue the matter. At least he was slowly learning to accept things that were beyond his control.

He got off of his chair and took his dishes over to the counter, by the sink. Zell wasn't quite finished yet, so the taller blond plunked down on the long step that the children used to reach the counter. There, he proceeded to sulk until the younger boy was ready to go as well.

"This is all your fault," Seifer grumbled once the pair were outside.

"No s'not!" Zell cried. "Yoo put me in the coop! It is _all_ your fault!"

"Calm down! Stop being such a chicken baby." Seifer frowned when Zell hit him in the arm. "No hitting. Matwyn says so."

"Yoo deserve it! And yoo never listen to anything anyone tells yoo anyway. I hit yoo and you get it. You get I not happy with you." Zell pursed his lips, then reached over and rubbed the place he had hit Seifer. "And I didn't do it hard. Don't be such a cry-baby." The younger boy sniggered, then danced away before the older could hit him for that.

"Yoo feed the cluck-clucks!" he cried, already opening the door to the little shed off the back, that housed the feed.

"I am _coming_! Don't get your underwears in a knot." He slowly moved over to the shed and picked up the coffee can to scoop up some feed. He held the can tight against his chest so he wouldn't spill any and followed Zell around to the coop.

Bluish-green eyes looked warily at Zell, not sure if the boy would exact revenge by locking him in the coop this time. But after a few moments, it seemed he had come to the conclusion that he was safe from any revenge.

Seifer ducked his head just slightly as he went into the coop, moving over to the spot where the little feeding trough was and poured out the grain. He watched as the clutch of fowl headed for the food. One, mottled-bluish one holding its place on a perch. Then, without warning, it came towards him, a flurry of feathers, beak and claws.

One swift peck was delivered to the bridge of his nose before Seifer could do anything to defend himself or flee. He chose the latter, dropping the can and running from the coop. Zell caught him in his arms, holding the door closed with his foot.

"No, Klihu! Don't hurt him!" he yelled to the bird who ruffled her feathers and moved over to the grain. "Let me see, Seif..." he pleaded, grabbing at the older boy's hand and pulling it down. A small trickle of blood was already making its way down the side of his nose.

Zell's eyes went wide as he looked at the blood and the little peck mark. He hurriedly pulled a tissue from his pocket and held it against the wound. He wrapped his other arm around Seifer tightly. "It's okay, Seifer. She won't do that again. She's just mad about yesterday.."

Seifer's eyes were watery, tears threatening to come, but he was doing everything he could to hold them back. Though, out of anyone to catch him crying, Zell would be the most understanding, he was sure. "You're stupid chicken tried to kill me."

"She is not stupid. She is just mad at yoo. But she won't do it again. Does it still hurt?" he asked, pulling the tissue away slowly to have another look. "I think we need to show Matwyn."

The older boy frowned. He didn't want to go for help, but this was something Matron was bound to find out soon enough. The chicken had pecked him hard enough to bleed after all. "... Only if yoo go and get her. And bring me a band-aid."

"Okay. Yoo hold this on it," he said, taking Seifer's hand and pressing it to the tissue. "I'll be back real soon." And with that he ran off and back into the house to find Matron and a band-aid.

I arched a brow when Zell approached me, motioning for me to crouch down lower. I did so, bending a little more so that he could whisper in my ear what had happened. My eyes grew a little wide as he explained how his chicken had attacked Seifer, and the reason for it. All this talking to animals, and what seemed to be them listening, was causing me some concern. But at the moment, my concern over Seifer was greater.

I took Zell to the bathroom to get a band-aid, then went out to the chicken coop with Zell to find Seifer glaring at Klihu. The bird was just fluffing her feathers up at him and scratching at the ground.

"Yoo stop that now, Klihu. Seifer doesn't mean to be a big meanie. Yoo can't hurt people just because they are mean to yoo, or yoo don't like them." The bird settled down and moved back over to the grain. Yes, concerning indeed.

"Seifer, how does it feel?" I asked, moving his hand and the tissue away. The blood had already stopped trickling from the small wound. The fact that it was a facial injury explained the amount of blood that had collected on the tissue. It would have been far less if it were elsewhere.

"Hurts.." Seifer said softly. He turned his attention to Zell, who was opening the band-aid and peeling away the backs.

I smiled as Zell held up the band-aid in both hands and Seifer leaned forward a little so that the shorter boy could cover the wound. It was an awkward place to have received the injury. The band-aid ended up sitting at a diagonal from above his left eyebrow, down over the peck mark, and ended just below the inner edge of his right eye.

"There! All better!" Zell said happily, leaning up to kiss the band-aid.

Seifer made a face and swatted at the younger boy. "I'm fine! I don't need kisses better."

"I'm glad to hear that. Maybe next time you'll think twice about picking on Zell, with Klihu watching." The look of unease on Seifer's features amused me a little, and I could tell he was very relieved that the chickens lived in the locked coop twenty-four-seven.


	13. Toes Are Yummies

Yay. Another Chapter! Don't you love it when ya just get into the mood and can write up a storm? I do. I love my cute little chibis. 3s for them. So here's another chappy for you alls.

It was a lovely, hot day; perfect for playing in the water and along the shoreline. The children were off in their pairs. Squall and Zell were playing with Irvine and Selphie while the three older children walked along the beach.

Seifer would occasionally kick some water at Quistis's legs, but it was never actually enough to make her angry. In fact, everyone was getting along just swimmingly. Pardon the pun.

My job, or so they said, was to watch over the collection of plastic toys resting under the large, purple beach umbrella. I was also making sure everyone who got near the water had the low grade Floats around their heads. They had proved to be very helpful in the past.

Zell soon came trotting over to me with Squall in tow. He gave me a big hug before scooping up a pair of shovels. His comrade picked up the biggest pail he could find and the pair headed off.

"How big a hole do yoo want to dig, Squall?" Zell asked, moving the shovels into one hand so he could hold the brunet's with the other.

"A big hole," Squall said.

"So we can hide in it?"

"And put sticks over it like a fort." Squall pointed over to some long pieces of driftwood that had washed up.

"Oh, that's a good idea. We'll dig the besses hole-fort."

Once they found a good spot the two boys settled down and took a shovel each. Squall started by making a large circular shape in the sand, big enough that both boys could fit inside it.

"Now we have to dig all the sand out of the circle," Squall explained as he started to dig.

Zell nodded and got to work on his side of the circle.

Every once in a while one or both of them would pause in their digging to push the sand mounds that were forming farther away from the hole. They didn't need sand falling back _in_ after they had put much effort into getting it _out_ in the first place.

After more time had passed the two boys moved into the hole itself, taking the pail with them. The pair would fill it to the top, then heave it out of the hole and dump it a little ways away. They were actually doing a very good job at their little project.

The next time I looked up to check on them I could only just make out the tops of their heads. But, when Squall stood up to climb out of the hole I realised they were sitting while they dug. Though, it was probably quite high for Zell currently, which might have explained why Squall was the one climbing out to empty the bucket.

"I think that's good, Zelly. Let's go get the sticks," he said as he heaved himself out of their hole again.

Zell helped him get the pail out, both shovels anchored in the sand in it, then reached up for the brunet to help him out as well. The hole was indeed too deep for the little boy to get out by himself.

Squall reached down and grabbed onto Zell's wrists. The older boy grabbed onto his in turn and with one big, grunting heave Squall pulled Zell out of the hole and right on top of him.

The blond squeaked a little as he was hoisted out, then blinked down at Squall. When the brunet blinked back at him he giggled merrily, the other boy soon joining him. "Yoo strong," he said, snuggling his friend before climbing off of him and helping him up.

"We have'ta get the sticks for the top," Squall said, brushing sand off his butt before he started moving towards a collection of driftwood.

They each picked up as much as they could carry, then headed back to their hole. After laying out the wood they started to cover about half of their soon-to-be fort.

"Hmm," Zell started to climb back down into the hole. "I'm gonna move 'em a little from in here. Yoo go get a few more pieces," he said, smiling up at Squall.

Squall nodded and headed off to look for another few long pieces of wood. They'd already scavenged the immediate area quite effectively, so he had to head further down the beach.

Zell grinned up at the roof of wood. He'd gotten it to sit just right and he was very happy with it. He went to stand up and look to see where Squall was when a little trickle of water came over the edge of the hole.

The blond looked at the spot where the water had come in with wide eyes. A moment later another little trickle came in. The tide had been coming in slowly for the past little while, and the hole was just on the edge of its finishing point.

Panic flooded over Zell's features. Another trickle, this one a bit larger than the previous two, was all it took to drive him to tears. He moved over to the edge of the hole and stuck his head out the top. "Squall! Squall! Help!"

Squall had found Ellone and the other two on his search for sticks. She and Quistis had offered to help while the elder girl sent Seifer back to stay with Zell.

So, it was the miniature bully that approached the terrified little boy in the hole. Seifer looked down into the hole, seeing the inch of water that had pooled around Zell's feet and the little waves sliding up the shore every few moments.

"Don't cry, Zelly. Yoo'll make the hole fill up faster!" He laughed, but when the younger blond began to panic even more he stopped and looked around.

I was standing from my place under the umbrella after I heard him crying and screaming for Squall. No one else was in the immediate area except for Seifer, and  I highly doubted he would help.

When Seifer saw me approaching, though, he crouched down and held out his hands. Zell grabbed at him desperately and he pulled him out.

He too fell backwards, but only onto his bottom. Zell clung to him tightly and Seifer held him. "It's okay, Zell. Yoo're okay. I saved yoo."

I paused, arching a brow. Well, it was good to know that if someone was truly in trouble, Seifer would step up and do the right thing. Perhaps he was getting better after all.

Seifer rubbed at Zell's back gently, whispering to him softly until he calmed back down. "It's okay, Zelly. It's okay. I got yoo. Yoo is safe."

Zell snuggled closer, head resting against the older boy's shoulder. "I was scared, Seifer. Really scared. I thought I was gonna be drownded."

Just then Squall came trotting up with an armful of driftwood. He looked at Seifer oddly, and when said boy saw him he gave the boy in his lap a little shove off of him.

Zell pouted, wide eyes looking up at Seifer confused.

"Silly cry-baby. He just grabs onto anyone around him. He almost got himself drownded in the hole too. But I saved him! Yoo shouldn't have left your buddy, Squall. I saved him. Not yoo."

Squall dropped his sticks, glaring at the older boy before crouching down next to Zell. "Are yoo okay, Zelly? I'm sorry."

Zell shifted up onto his knees and hugged Squall tightly. "Is okay, Squall. It not your fault."

"Tch." Seifer crossed his arms and looked away. "Silly Chicken-baby. I saved yoo. Not him."

"Then yoo pushed me!" Zell said, turning his head to look at Seifer even though it was still pressed against Squall's chest. The brunet looked like he'd just been caught in the middle of something he really didn't want to be in the middle of.

Seifer frowned. The boy had a point. He had pushed him away, so he shouldn't complain that he was finding a little more comfort in another.

Squall's eyes had shifted down to the sand, where an average sized crab was scurrying around. It came nearer to the three of the boys, but Squall couldn't move away because of the blond still currently attached to him.

The crab proceeded over toward Seifer, paused at his feet and after wiggling its eyes around a bit it reached out and pinched his toe.

The taller boy yelped and kicked his foot out, sending the crab skidding over the sand, only to drop down into the younger boys' hole-fort with a splash.

Zell's eyes went wide, staring at Seifer until the splash caught his attention. He dove off of Squall and onto his stomach, head peeking over the edge of the hole. "Oh no. He is stuck." He reached down, fingers grasping at the air above the pooling water.

"Yoo told it to do that, didn't yoo!" Seifer accused from where he sat on the ground, holding his foot and rubbing his toe.

"I thought yoo said I couldn't talk to the animal," Zell said, shifting a little further forward on his stomach in attempts to reach the crab. "I can't reach him."

"Who cares. He is a stupid crab. He can stay in the hole, in the water." Eventually he stopped rubbing his toe and crawled over to the edge of the hole, glaring down at the crab who was completely covered by the water, little bubbles coming up to show where he was.

Zell moved forward again and nearly went right over the edge, head first. Again it was Seifer that saved him, throwing his weight over the younger blond's legs to keep him from falling. "Yoo stupid cry-baby. Yoo are gonna get yourself drownded again."

With Seifer holding his legs, Zell had enough reach to get his hands into the water. "Come on, Mr. Crab. I'll get yoo out. Come to my hands," he said, wiggling his fingers in the water a couple of times before holding them still. Another couple moments and he had the crab in his hands. "I got him. Help me up."

"Squall. Can yoo grab his feets?" When the brunet did, Seifer moved off Zell's legs and grabbed onto the boy's ankles, pulling him back all the way out of the hole.

Zell sat himself upright and smiled brightly, holding the crab up to Seifer and Squall. It pinched its pinchers a couple times at the air and the eldest boy shifted back a little. "Don't worry, Seifer. He not gonna do it again. He thought your toe was something yummy. He knows toes are not yummies now."

Squall arched a brow, then reached out and patted the crab on the back of its shell. "Yeah. Toes are not yummies," he repeated.

"Yoo can talk to the animals too?" Seifer asked in disbelief.

"No," Squall stated simply. "Well, anyone can talk _to_ an animals. But I can't hear the animals talk back like Zell can."

"Yoo believe him?" Seifer asked, ignoring the face that Zell made.

"He is holding a pinchy crab and it is not doing anything. And he played with the toramas, and his chicken attack-ed yoo. So, yes. I believe him."

Zell smiled proudly, then set the crab down on the sad and watched it scuttle off.

"Sis can do things too," Squall said like it was nothing, looking over to where the girls were coming back and lifting a hand to wave at his sister. "But her things are really hard to make sense of. Zell is easy. Zell talks to the animals and the monster."

Seifer blinked a few times before shaking his head. "Yoo have a point. Your chicken _does_ follow me when I go close to the pen, but she does not try to attack me, like yoo said. And the pinchy crab didn't pinch yoo. And it went into your hands."

"Yeah. Cause he is a good Mr. Crab. He was just confused." Zell shifted again and lay down on his belly. He wiggled his way over to where Seifer sat, bringing his face close to Seifer's feet.

"What are yoo doing?" Seifer asked, reaching out a hand to rest against the younger boy's head in case he tried to get any closer.

"I wanted to see if toes looked yummy from down here. If yoo tilt your head to the side like this... and make an eye go half closed... maybe." Zell did just that, then decided it would be a good idea to actually bite Seifer's toe, though not hard.

The older boy jumped back a couple of inches in shock. Hands splaying behind him in the sand so he didn't tip right over onto his back in surprise. "What?!" was all he could get out.

Zell shifted up onto his hands and knees and made a face, tongue darting out between his lips a few times. Thankfully Seifer's feet were dry, and thus the sand hadn't stuck to them. "Tastes like ocean and beach."

Seifer sat back up, then leaned forward to punch Zell gently in the shoulder. "Stupid chicken-baby."


	14. Super Heros and Villians

Hello everyone. It came to my attention in a review that I should mention something to all over you. Yes, the writing style did make a rather drastic change from when they were 3/4 to now, when they are 4/5. But, their verbal speech has not actually improved that much. It's a literary device in which you use key words to indicate a speech pattern or accent instead of writing everything out, like in previous chapters. I started with the written out so you could all get a good feel of toddler-speech, then when the year passed, I converted to the key words used during the in-game flashbacks, such as 'yoo', 'Matwyn', and my self invented 'tocopaws'. So, yes, they do still sound pretty much the same as before. So reconnect to that chibi-speech center in your brain and continuing reading it like that.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The children were all crowded around the toy chests, digging through them for props to use for their little game. Various things were being tossed out, discarded on the floor until later pickup.

Quistis grabbed a skipping rope, holding it at one end and tugging it free of the chest. She trotted into an open area and waved it a little. "I shall be the Crimson Lash!" she cried, trying to make the rope crack, but not quite creating enough snap.

Seifer pulled out a black cape and wrapped it around his neck. He struck a pose, hands held firmly against his hips.

Irvine snickers. "Who are you? Super Bully?"

"Or maybe… Bullyman!" Zell cried, giggling. "No, no! Meanieman!" he giggled harder and Seifer frowned at him.

"Bullyboy!" Selphie joined in.

"I am not any of those!" Seifer cried, stomping his foot on the ground.

I looked up from where I sat at the end of Zell's bed. "How about Mr. Ego?" I suggested before I could think better of it.

"What's ego?" Zell and Selphie asked in unison, the others nodding, wanting to know too.

"Ego is… something Seifer has a lot of," I replied, mentally chuckling. I was quite glad the children _didn't_ know what ego was. Seifer didn't need another barb… that he understood.

"Okay. I can be Mr. Ego, like Matwyn said. Who else is gonna be a superhero?" he asked, looking to the remaining children.

"Squall, you could be Lionheart, after your ancestor. That would be a fun superhero," Ellone suggested.

Before Squall could say anything Zell clapped his hands together and smiled brightly. "And I can be his sidekick!"

"The Torama Kid!" Irvine cried excitedly. "Me and Selphie can be the bad guys! What should we call ourselves, Sefie?"

"Boom Girl and Bang Boy!" she shouted, throwing a fist in the air.

This was going to be the most insane game of superheroes and villains the world would ever see… for at least a decade.

Selphie and Irvine bolted out of the room, content with the little cowboy's gun and the little girl's… exuberance and loud, loud voice. They ran out of the house and out into the flower field, finally plunking down next to one of the few trees scattered about; their chosen "base".

Ellone had decided she would supervise today, so she followed the little justice league out once the rest of them had finished picking out accessories. Zell had wrapped a blue boa around Squall's neck several times, saying it was like a lion's ruff. He had then pulled leg warmers on his arms and legs, pretending they were fur.

Once the little blond was done dressing his friends and himself, they set off to locate their own base of operations. "How about the garden?" Squall suggested, looking over to where it sat. "Just behind it, between it and the house."

"I like it. It's pretty. It's good for the good guys," Quistis said, starting to walk in that direction with Squall; the others following. Seifer held back a moment, but continued walking when Ellone gently nudged him forward.

Zell trotted up to Squall, curling his hand around the brunet's and smiled brightly. Seifer made a face and crossed his arms over his chest. He mumbled something under his breath and Ellone looked over to him.

"What's the matter, Seifer?" she asked, but all he did was shake his head and keep walking forward towards where the others had stopped.

They all sat down in a little half circle next to the white picket fence around the garden. "What do you think they are going to do?" Zell asked, looking around at everyone else.

"Maybe they will kidnap Boco and Guna," Squall suggested.

"Or steal something. Like my ruby hair clips!" Quistis said, shaking her rope again. Still no snap.

Zell looked up at Seifer, noting his eyes were a little wider and his fingers were clenched. "Seifer." He reached up and patted the older blond's hand. "They won't take your Boco."

"Course not!" He crossed his arms again. "They'd be stupid to try to take my Boco. They know they still can't touch it unless I say so, and I'm here. And I'm not there so they can't touch it."

"Seifer," Squall said, looking up at the older boy. "Maybe yoo should be the scout and see if yoo can find out what they are doing."

"Let Zelly come with me," Seifer said, moving over to the little boy and setting his hand on top of his head. The younger blond giggled and swiveled around, the hand shifting over but never leaving his head, which caused much amusement for the boy under said hand.

"But Zell is Squall's sidekick," Quistis said, straightening out her skipping rope and looping it up to hold in her hand. "The sidekick has to stay with his hero."

"Well, then why can't Zelly be my sidekick?" Seifer asked, fingers gripping at blond hair a little too tightly, causing the younger boy to yelp. He let go immediately and looked down into big blue eyes.

"Owwie, Seifer…"

"Yoo shouldn't squirm around so much when someone has their fingers in your hair…" He didn't apologize. There were too many people around for him to say something like that. His lips turned down in a frown and he spun around, walking away to go spy on the bad guys.

Selphie and Irvine sat behind the tree so that anyone looking from the orphanage wouldn't be able to see them as well. The tree was not actually large enough, or more precisely wide enough to completely block them at all. But in a child's imagination, the shadow cast by the leaves may have been an invisible barrier or defensive shield.

"What are we gonna do, Sefie? We need to think of something good." Irvine sat on the ground, back leaning against the tree.

"Hmm." Selphie paced back and forth. "Something that everybody would wanna come and get back or save. We could take all the pillows on the beds?" she suggested, looking down at Irvine.

"But I dunno if we could make it to the house and back here with all the pillows fast enough. They are big pillow and we have little arms. We could only carry one at a time eaches."

Selphie plunked down on the ground, bending her knees and resting her elbows on them, determined face set in her hands. "What else could be take?"

"Quistis has some pretty clips. They look like gems and treasure."

"Yeah. But Seifer and Squall wouldn't care if we took her barrettes. What is something you boys like?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Well, Zelly likes everything. Seifer likes his Boco and Squall likes Sis. We can't take Boco or Sis cause then we would get killded." Irvine plucked a flower from the ground and started pulling out the petals.

"Um- Oh! I know! Let's steal the tocopaws! Everyone likes tocopaws," Selphie declared, jumping up in her exuberance.

"That is a good idea! Okay! How are we gonna do it?"

- - -

Seifer didn't like this super hero game. Selphie and Irvine got to be together, everyone else was playing back at the garden base, but he had to be all alone, trying to figure out what the "bad guys" were going to do. He didn't like it at all. Once he saw the evil duo "sneaking" back towards the house he made his way back to the good guys' headquarters.

"Mr. Ego! Did you find anything?" Quistis asked as he approached.

"They went into the house."

"Alright! It's time to catch the enemy. Let's go team!"

The others stood and followed after the Crimson Lash, Zell trailing along at the back. He paused when Seifer grabbed his arm and looked up at the taller blond.

"I don't like this game. Come play with me," Seifer said, but even though it wasn't really a question, there was still a feel of askance in it.

"But, I'm Squall's sidekick," Zell said, continuing to look up at his friend.

"But there are already two good guys, and they have Sis. And there are only two bad guys. It is more fair if you and me go play something else."

Zell thought about this for a minute before he nodded and curled his hand around one of Seifer's. "Okay. What do you want to play, Seif?"

"I don't know. We'll think of something. Come on." Seifer started to walk out into the flower field with his shorter comrade in tow.

Only a few minutes into their walk, the rest of the children came tumbling out of the house, giggling and squealing. Then Selphie jumped up and pointed dramatically at the pair. "Mr. Ego is kidnapping the Torama Kid!"

The blonds stopped and looked over at the mob of super children. Zell giggled and hugged tight to the taller boy. "Oh noes. Am I kidnapped?"

Seifer looked down at the boy hugging him tightly, then at the rest of his friends. A little grin spread across his lips before he nodded, took Zell by the hand again and started running, slow enough that his "hostage" could keep up.

Zell giggled as he trotted along, not exactly the poster boy for kidnapped sidekicks, but that didn't deter the "rescuers" in the least. The blonds did however manage to gain a decent lead when Irvine tripped over his own feet and the others stopped to help him.

Seifer stopped, causing Zell to bump into him and forcing the both of them tumbling down a slope no more than a couple of feet in height. The older boy landed on his back, and coughed when the smaller child landed on top of him. "Good job, chicken baby."

"I is not a chicken baby. Are yoo okay?" he asked, sitting up on his comrade's stomach and touching at his head and arms to see if he was alright.

"Yeah. I'm okay. This is a good hiding place if we stay down." Seifer reached up and nudged Zell off of him, then pulled him down and rested an arm flat out against the ground so the younger boy could use it as a pillow.

Zell giggled and squirmed up against the other blond, turning his head to look up at the clouds floating by over head. "Seif, how come yoo are so nice when no one else is around?"

"I'm not nice. I call yoo a chicken baby."

"I is not a chicken baby. Irvine says yoo are nice to him too, when no one else is there. And Sefie."

"They are just silly. A silly baby and a silly butterfly."

Zell giggled again and smiled. "Sefie is not a butterfly. Irvine is silly."

"I'm not silly!" the little cowboy cried as he popped his head over the top of the short drop.

"Found yoo, found yoo," Selphie sing-songed over head.

"Give back the sidekick!" Quistis declared, stomping her foot when Seifer shook his head and pulled Zell closer.

"It's okay if he wants to stay with Seifer..." Squall said quietly.

Quistis wheeled around and turned her attention on the brunet. "But he's _your_ sidekick!"

Squall's eyes nearly doubled in size. He stared at the blonde, not saying a word.

Zell gave a little yawn and lifted one leg, only to drop it over top of Seifer's. "I'm sleepy of the hero game. Let's stop and look at the pretty clouds."

"The clouds?" Squall asked, tilting his head up, then shifted down to lie on his back and look up, the other's following suit, laying down in the flowers above the pair of blonds.

"Pretty shapes in the clouds..." Zell trailed off as he raised a hand to curl his fingers at the puffy whiteness in the sky, trying to grab them, trying to squish them in his fingers. "I can touch the sky." He smiled brightly.


End file.
